SNAP participation and financial plus food-related physical barriers in older US adults
In a cross-sectional US survey of income-eligible adults aged 60 and older, financial food insecurity, food-related physical functioning insecurity and both combined were associated with higher odds of self-reported SNAP participation in the past 12 months. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The cross-sectional analysis included 4,429 income-eligible adults aged 60 or older from US national survey data, 2007-2018. [1]
SNAP participants more often reported financial food insecurity (34.6% vs 15.0%) and combined financial and physical food insecurity (15.6% vs 5.6%) than nonparticipants. [1]
In adjusted analyses, financial, physical functioning and combined food insecurity were associated with greater odds of SNAP participation. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative survey data (abstract).
- Population / context
- 4,429 US adults aged 60 years or older who were income-eligible for SNAP and had complete food security and participation data.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- September 21, 2026
Income-eligible older adults in US survey 2007-2018
The analysis used cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007-2018, in the US. It included 4,429 adults aged 60 years or older who were income-eligible for SNAP and had complete food security and participation data. Food insecurity due to financial constraints was assessed with the US Department of Agriculture Adult Food Security Survey Module; food-related physical functioning insecurity was measured with a validated tool. Participants were grouped as food secure, financially food insecure only, physically food insecure only, or insecure because of both.
Supporting source [1]
Higher SNAP participation with financial and physical barriers
The main outcome was self-reported SNAP participation in the past 12 months. SNAP participants had a higher prevalence of financial food insecurity (34.6% vs 15.0%) and of combined financial and physical food insecurity (15.6% vs 5.6%) than nonparticipants. In weighted logistic regression adjusted for sociodemographic and health characteristics, financial food insecurity (odds ratio 1.74; 95% confidence interval 1.35-2.26), physical functioning food insecurity (1.47; 1.16-1.87) and combined insecurity (2.30; 1.70-3.21) were associated with greater odds of SNAP participation. These are associations, not evidence of cause and effect.
Supporting source [1]
Cross-sectional scope and underexplored physical dimension
The authors describe food-related physical functioning limitations as an underexplored dimension of food insecurity. Because the design is cross-sectional, it cannot show whether food insecurity led to SNAP participation or the reverse, and the abstract reports no follow-up period. The outcome was self-reported participation. The authors suggest that assessments focused only on financial constraints may overlook physical functioning barriers and that a multidimensional approach may support food access and healthy aging; these are implications, not tested results. Only the abstract was reviewed; the full text was not reviewed.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. Cross-sectional design, so associations cannot establish direction or causation. No follow-up period is reported. SNAP participation was self-reported.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Sassine AJ, Sahyoun NR. · europepmc.org · September 21, 2026