Which statement best defines food insecurity in older adults and identifies common contributing factors unique to this population?

• A. Food insecurity is unreliable access to sufficient nutritious food; in older adults unique contributors include inability to prepare food, limited mobility to obtain groceries, and difficulty physically consuming food due to dental or swallowing problems.
• B. Food insecurity in older adults is defined as selective food avoidance for cultural reasons and is primarily due to overabundance of food preparation skills among elders.
• C. Food insecurity exclusively means lack of cooking knowledge, so educational programs alone always eliminate insecurity in the elderly.
• D. Food insecurity only refers to the caloric insufficiency regardless of food quality; older adults are unaffected because social programs automatically guarantee unlimited access to foods.

Answer: (A)