Nutritional Health Risk (Food Security) in Thai Older Adults and Related Factors

Abstract

The older adult population in Thailand has been steadily increasing in recent years, and urbanization has resulted in many older adults living independently, leaving many at nutritional risk. The purpose of this research is to explore food security among Thai older adults using a simple screening tool, the DETERMINE tool, as well as from three surveys which reflect seniors’ health and ultimately food security including the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), the self-efficacy for physical activity scale (SEPAS), and the health literacy questionnaire. The DETERMINE tool was used in Thailand for the first time in this study. The findings revealed a moderate risk of food insecurity amongst participants, as most of them claimed to have underlying diseases, eat alone, eat a few nutrient-rich foods, and take medication. The MMSE, SEPAS, and health literacy questionnaire results suggested that food security was found to be negatively correlated with higher cognitive ability, higher physical activity, self-efficacy, and higher health literacy. In conclusion, there appears to be a high risk for malnutrition among older adults in Thailand, particularly in those with low income and underlying diseases.