IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/ssefpa/v13y2021i1d10.1007_s12571-020-01125-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Is food insecurity a problem among the elderly in Sharpeville, South Africa?

Author

Listed:
  • Wilna Oldewage-Theron

    (Texas Tech University)

  • Abdulkadir A. Egal

    (Vaal University of Technology)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of food and nutrition insecurity and assess the socio-demographic factors associated with food and nutrition insecurity among 146 free-living elderly persons attending a care centre in Sharpeville, South Africa. Measurement instruments included socio-demographic-, 24-hour-recall and dietary diversity questionnaires and the validated household food insecurity access scale/score (HFIAS). Data were analysed with IBM SPSS Software, version 25.0. The prevalence of food insecurity from HFIAS was 60% (n = 87), with a variety of balanced responses being employed. Significant relationships were observed between HFIAS and age (r = 0.301; p = 0.000) and with household income (r = −0.258; p = 0.007). An association was observed between HFIAS and marital status (p = 0.005). Regression analysis showed that age and being single were predictors of food and nutrition insecurity. This study indicated a problem of household food insecurity with poor dietary intakes among these elderly people, mostly due to poverty and being single. More research on associations between food security and socio-economic variables is needed to plan and implement appropriate strategies to address food and nutrition insecurity in South Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Wilna Oldewage-Theron & Abdulkadir A. Egal, 2021. "Is food insecurity a problem among the elderly in Sharpeville, South Africa?," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(1), pages 71-81, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:13:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s12571-020-01125-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s12571-020-01125-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12571-020-01125-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12571-020-01125-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Prakash Shetty, 2009. "Incorporating nutritional considerations when addressing food insecurity," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 1(4), pages 431-440, December.
    2. Jacobs, Peter T., 2009. "The status of household food security targets in South Africa," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 48(4), pages 1-24, December.
    3. Maxwell, Daniel & Ahiadeke, Clement & Levin, Carol & Armar-Klemesu, Margaret & Zakariah, Sawudatu & Lamptey, Grace Mary, 1999. "Alternative food-security indicators: revisiting the frequency and severity of 'coping strategies'," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 411-429, August.
    4. Meital Izraelov & Jacques Silber, 2019. "An assessment of the global food security index," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 11(5), pages 1135-1152, October.
    5. Jae Yeon Park & Arlette Saint Ville & Timothy Schwinghamer & Hugo Melgar-Quiñonez, 2019. "Heterogeneous factors predict food insecurity among the elderly in developed countries: insights from a multi-national analysis of 48 countries," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 11(3), pages 541-552, June.
    6. Altman, M. & Hart, Tim G.B. & Jacobs, Peter T., 2009. "Household food security status in South Africa," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 48(4), pages 1-17, December.
    7. Baiphethi, Mompati N. & Jacobs, Peter T., 2009. "The contribution of subsistence farming to food security in South Africa," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 48(4), pages 1-24, December.
    8. Sheryl Hendriks, 2014. "Food security in South Africa: Status quo and policy imperatives," Agrekon, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(2), pages 1-24, June.
    9. Riva C. H. Denny & Sandra T. Marquart-Pyatt & Arika Ligmann-Zielinska & Laura Schmitt Olabisi & Louie Rivers & Jing Du & Lenis Saweda O. Liverpool-Tasie, 2018. "Food security in Africa: a cross-scale, empirical investigation using structural equation modeling," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 6-22, March.
    10. Wynand Carel Johannes Grobler & Steve Dunga, 2019. "Analysis of food security status among the elderly in South Africa," Proceedings of International Academic Conferences 9412193, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Qhelile Ntombikayise Bhebhe & Mjabuliseni S. C. Ngidi & Muthulisi Siwela & Temitope O. Ojo & Simphiwe Innocentia Hlatshwayo & Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, 2023. "The Contribution of Trees and Green Spaces to Household Food Security in eThekwini Metro, KwaZulu-Natal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Natalia Kopylova & Talita Greyling & Stephanié Rossouw, 2022. "Multidimensional Quality of Life of Older Adults in South Africa," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(6), pages 3427-3450, December.
    3. Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas Ngidi & Sinethemba Sibusisiwe Zulu & Temitope Oluwaseun Ojo & Simphiwe Innocentia Hlatshwayo, 2023. "Effect of Consumers’ Acceptance of Indigenous Leafy Vegetables and Their Contribution to Household Food Security," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-14, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chakona, Gamuchirai & Shackleton, Charlie M., 2019. "Food insecurity in South Africa: To what extent can social grants and consumption of wild foods eradicate hunger?," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 13(C), pages 87-94.
    2. Horman Chitonge, 2014. "Land Redistribution and Zero Hunger Programs: Can South Africa Reap a Triple Dividend?," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 6(4), pages 380-406, December.
    3. Pienaar, L. & Fintel, D. von, 2015. "Hunger in the former apartheid homelands: Determinants of convergence one century after the 1913 land act," International Journal of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (IJAGST), SvedbergOpen, vol. 53(4), March.
    4. Mahlako Nthabeleng Mokgomo & Clarietta Chagwiza & Phathutshedzo Fancy Tshilowa, 2022. "The Impact of Government Agricultural Development Support on Agricultural Income, Production and Food Security of Beneficiary Small-Scale Farmers in South Africa," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-21, October.
    5. Louw Pienaar & Dieter von Fintel, 2013. "Hunger in the former apartheid homelands: Determinants of converging food security 100 years after the 1913 Land Act," Working Papers 26/2013, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    6. Malan, Naudé, 2015. "Urban farmers and urban agriculture in Johannesburg: Responding to the food resilience strategy," International Journal of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (IJAGST), SvedbergOpen, vol. 54(2), September.
    7. Magnifique Nkurunziza & Zandile June-Rose Mchiza & Yanga Zembe, 2023. "Meals on Wheels: Promoting Food and Nutrition Security among Older Persons in Cape Town, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-19, January.
    8. Oludele Akinloye Akinboade & Segun Adeyemi Adeyefa, 2018. "An Analysis of Variance of Food Security by its Main Determinants Among the Urban Poor in the City of Tshwane, South Africa," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 137(1), pages 61-82, May.
    9. Thabang R. Aphane & Chiedza L. Muchopa, 2024. "Income Contribution of Backyard Gardening and its Association with Household Food Security: A Case Study in an Urban Setting," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 14(3), pages 115-124, May.
    10. Primrose Zama Ngema & Melusi Sibanda & Lovemore Musemwa, 2018. "Household Food Security Status and Its Determinants in Maphumulo Local Municipality, South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-23, September.
    11. Xikombiso Gertrude Mbhenyane & Ayuk Betrand Tambe, 2024. "The Influence of Household and Community Food Environments on Food Insecurity in Limpopo Province, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(2), pages 1-23, January.
    12. Simphiwe Innocentia Hlatshwayo & Temitope Oluwaseun Ojo & Albert Thembinkosi Modi & Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi & Rob Slotow & Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas Ngidi, 2022. "The Determinants of Market Participation and Its Effect on Food Security of the Rural Smallholder Farmers in Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces, South Africa," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-16, July.
    13. Abda Emam, 2023. "Saudi Fertilizers and Their Impact on Global Food Security: Present and Future," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-21, May.
    14. Jennifer Waidler & Stephen Devereux, 2019. "Social grants, remittances, and food security: does the source of income matter?," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 11(3), pages 679-702, June.
    15. Simone Schotte & Rocco Zizzamia & Murray Leibbrandt, 2022. "Snakes and ladders and loaded dice: Poverty dynamics and inequality in South Africa between 2008 and 2017," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 90(2), pages 214-242, June.
    16. Senelisiwe Penelope Jilajila & Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas Ngidi & Simphiwe Innocentia Hlatshwayo & Temitope Oluwaseun Ojo, 2023. "An Analysis of the Prevalence and Factors Influencing Food Insecurity among University Students Participating in Alcohol Consumption in KwaZulu-Natal Province," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-15, March.
    17. Nomfundo Shelembe & Simphiwe Innocentia Hlatshwayo & Albert Modi & Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi & Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas Ngidi, 2024. "The Association of Socio-Economic Factors and Indigenous Crops on the Food Security Status of Farming Households in KwaZulu-Natal Province," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-18, March.
    18. Gudeta Alemu Zerihun, 2015. "Working Paper - 220 - Developing a Food (in) Security Map for South Africa," Working Paper Series 2158, African Development Bank.
    19. Andrew Allee & Lee R. Lynd & Vikrant Vaze, 2021. "Cross-national analysis of food security drivers: comparing results based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale and Global Food Security Index," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(5), pages 1245-1261, October.
    20. Ward, Catherine D. & Shackleton, Charlie M., 2016. "Natural Resource Use, Incomes, and Poverty Along the Rural–Urban Continuum of Two Medium-Sized, South African Towns," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 80-93.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:13:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s12571-020-01125-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.