The discourse of older Nepalese persons concerning the liminal nature of food insecurity

OBJECTIVES: This study explores the liminal nature of food (in)security among older Nepalese persons, emphasizing the temporal shift from nostalgia for past dietary practices and traditional foods to present and future anxieties rooted in climate change and environmental degradation, including changes in the quality and availability of food. METHODS: This study employs a convergent mixed-methods design and uses data from quantitative surveys and qualitative focus group interviews with 54 individuals over the age of 60, who experience high levels of poverty and have limited formal education. RESULTS: The research captures older persons' perceptions of food, highlighting feelings of nostalgia for traditional, organic farming and food practices, contrasted with present concerns about environmental and health impacts, and future fears regarding declining food security. The concept of liminality-being in a transitional, in-between state-frames how food is viewed across the past, present, and future, illustrating a journey from longing to distress to uncertainty. Liminality is also demonstrated in respondents' food consumption, which reflects traditional foods consumed alongside largely unhealthy modern products. The liminal nature of Nepal, a "least developed country", highly dependent on its neighboring countries, and gradually transitioning to a "developing country" was also stressed during the interviews. DISCUSSION: Overall, the study expands understanding of food insecurity's temporal and emotional aspects within the context of climate change, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices that honor cultural heritage and ensure future food security in Nepal.