Country of Birth is Associated With Very Low Food Security Among Mexican American Older Adults Living in Colonias Along the South Texas Border With Mexico

Abstract

The availability of an adequate household food supply is critical for the older population. There is little work that has examined food security and the influence of nativity on food security among older Mexican Americans living along the Texas–Mexico border. Using data from 140 older women (age ≥ 50 y) who participated in the 2009 Colonia Household and Community Food Resource Assessment (C-HCFRA), we examined demographic characteristics, health characteristics, food access and mobility, federal and community food and nutrition assistance programs, quality of food environment, food security, eating behaviors, and alternative food sources. 77% of participants experienced food insecurity, with 68% experiencing very low food security. Very low food security was associated with being born in Mexico, adjusting for household income and food assistance program participation. This article provides compelling evidence for enhanced research efforts that will better understand coping strategies and the use of food and nutrition assistance programs for reducing hardship associated with very low food security among older U.S.- and Mexico-born Mexican American women.

KEYWORDS:

• colonias
• food access
• food security
• Mexican American
• Nativity

Acknowledgments

This research was supported in part with funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (#5P20MD002295) and by Cooperative Agreement #1U48DP001n 924 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Prevention Research Centers Program through Core Research Project and Special Interest Project Texas Healthy Aging Research Network. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH and CDC. We thank our promotoras (Maria Davila, team leader) for the collection of data.

Notes

^a Included only households with children (n = 68).

Statistically significant difference between participants born in Mexico and individuals born in the United States: *p ≤ 0.05.

Cross-tabulations with χ² was used to examine statistically significant differences between participants born in Mexico and individuals born in the United States: *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01.

^a Age data provided by 138 participants.

^b Data provided by 132 participants.

^c Based on those who received SNAP benefits.

^d Proportion living in a household with at least one child younger than 18 y (n = 68).

^e Data provided by 136 participants.

Statistical significance based on cross-tabulations and χ² statistic or Student's t-test between participants born in Mexico and those born in the United States: *p ≤ 0.05; **p ≤ 0.01; ***p ≤ 0.001.

FPL = Federal poverty level; SNAP = Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; BMI = Body mass index.

^a Proportion of participants who receive transportation from friend, neighbor, or relative (n = 110).

^b Proportion of participants who provided data on distance to store (n = 133).

^c Reported as sources of prepared foods.

Cross-tabulations with χ² (binary variables) and Student's t-test (continuous variables) were used to examine differences between participants born in Mexico and individuals born in the United States: *p ≤ 0.05; **p ≤ 0.01; ***p ≤ 0.001.

FV = Fruits and vegetables; SSB = Sugar-sweetened beverages.

^a Odds ratio.

^b Referent group: all others.