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African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development
Rural Outreach Program
ISSN: 1684-5358 EISSN: 1684-5358
Vol. 19, No. 2, 2019, pp. 14500-14516
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Bioline Code: nd19039
Full paper language: English
Document type: Short Communication
Document available free of charge
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African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, Vol. 19, No. 2, 2019, pp. 14500-14516
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AVAILABLE FOOD OPTIONS AT LOCAL SHOPS IN RELATION TO FOOD INSECURITY AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN SHARPEVILLE, SOUTH AFRICA
Saha, S; Abu, BAZ; Oldewage-Theron, W & Egal, A
Abstract
Due to limited resources and complex food access systems in urban areas, especially
older adults are more vulnerable to poor dietary intake and food insecurity in low-income
areas in South Africa. This study assessed the prevalence of food insecurity among the
older adults and explored the availability of healthy foods in local shops. It was a crosssectional
study conducted in an eldercare centre in Sharpeville, South Africa with an
estimated representative sample of 88 participants. Validated tools were used to measure
the socio-economic, dietary diversity intake (24-hour dietary recall), household food
security and access from the participants. Listing of available foods was carried out on
street vendors (n=13) and spaza shops (local community shops) (n=17) within a four
kilometre radius of the centre through on-site visit. A binary logistic regression was used
to examine the determinants of food insecurity among older adults. More than half
(54.5%) of the older adults reported severe household food insecurity. In this study,
34.1% of the older adults consumed foods from <5 food groups in a day out of the 10
food groups. A large number of respondents did not consume any nuts or seeds (n=64,
72.7%), eggs (n=75, 85.2%), dark green leafy vegetables (n=64, 72.7%) or vitamin A-rich
fruits and vegetables (n=47, 53.4%). On the other hand, in terms of food availability,
fruits and vegetables were more common in street vendors whereas, fish, meat, and high
calorie or salt containing snack were more available in spaza shops. All spaza shops sold
high calorie or salt containing snack products (such as soda drinks, chips). Households
with under-five children were 2.42 times food insecure than the households without any
under-five children (p < 0.05), and the participants who experienced money shortage
always or often to buy food and clothes were more food insecure (p < 0.05). Nutrition
education along with ensuring availability and easy access to healthy foods in the market
are necessary to ensure sustainable food security of older adults.
Keywords
older adults; food security; dietary diversity; availability; local shops
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