CHICAGO, Aug. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Feeding America and The National Foundation to End Senior Hunger (NFESH) released today The State of Senior Hunger in America in 2015, a study about food insecurity among seniors in the U.S.

The report shows that 5.4 million seniors age 60 or older (8.1 percent) were food insecure in 2015, the most recent year for which data is available. Food insecurity refers to the lack of access to enough nutritious food. An additional 4.4 million seniors (6.6 percent) reported marginal food security, a status that is less severe but one that can be problematic, especially later in life when good nutrition is essential for well-being.

Combined, the 14.7 percent of seniors in total who faced the threat of hunger in 2015 does represent a slight decrease over the prior year, and the first decline since 2009. Despite relative improvement, the rate and number of seniors affected remains well above pre-recession levels. In late 2007 when the Great Recession began, 6.3 percent and 3.2 million seniors were food insecure – 2.2 million fewer than the most recently reported total of food insecure seniors. These findings are further evidence that the benefits of the improved economy are not being enjoyed by all.