Descriptive Study of Diet and Food Security of Older Adults Across New York City Boroughs: Implications for Cognitive Decline

The aging of the American population is likely to lead to an increase in the incidence of cognitive decline and dementia. This health burden will not be evenly distributed, with Black and Hispanic individuals suffering disproportionately. Studies across diverse populations of aging adults are required to better understand the multitude of factors which influence risk for cognitive decline and dementia, including quality diet and food security. To this end, the current study sought to describe the population within New York City as it relates to socioeconomic factors, as well as dietary quality and food security. Thus, individuals from around the five boroughs of New York City were recruited to complete online questionnaires about their dietary habits, food security, as well as several demographic and socioeconomic factors. Comparisons were made among the city boroughs, as well as among ethnic groups, income levels, and educational achievement. Unsurprisingly, non-White individuals were more likely to report food insecurity. In addition, those with less educational achievement and those living in less economically advantaged boroughs reported lower quality diet compared to those with higher education and those living in more affluent boroughs. These findings suggest that non-White individuals, those with less educational achievement, and those residing in economically disadvantaged areas may have increased risk of not only cognitive decline but any other chronic diseases which relate to food security or diet quality. Further studies, which include cognitive assessments are needed to determine the impact of these or other risk factors on cognitive decline.