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Community Meal Programs as a Strategy to Address Food Insecurity and Social Isolation in Vermont’s Aging Population

Chan, Aldi
; ; ; ; ; 
Kirsimagi, Theresa
; ; 
Touch, Nina
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http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Abstract
Background: Nutrition risk and food insecurity are major contributors to poor health outcomes in older adults. In rural settings, higher nutrition risk is strongly associated with greater fall risk, highlighting nutrition as a key modifiable determinant of functional health. Vermont has seen worsening access to healthy food since the pandemic, and community meal programs (CMPs) may help address social isolation and nutritional needs. Understanding the experiences of community meal participants can improve programming and outcomes. Methods: Nutrition Risk Assessment (NRA) data from adults (≥60 years) enrolled in programming was obtained from Age Well to determine baseline nutritional risk. Separately, CMP participants were interviewed in-person across three sites in Chittenden County, VT from October to November 2025. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded using categorical thematic analysis to identify themes. Results: Baseline NRA data (n=735) showed that participants were classified as low (59.9%), moderate (25.7%), and high (14.4%) nutrition risk group. Thematic analysis of interviews (n=41) revealed that most CMP attendees reported adequate food access. Socialization was the most frequently cited driver of CMPs attendance, followed by food-related factors such as quality, affordability, and accessibility. Limited meal companionship at home also emerged as a common experience among participants. Conclusion: Social connection is a key driver for CMP attendance, highlighting CMP's role in supporting nutritional and social needs of older Vermonters. Since nutrition risk was low for the majority of interviewees, further research is needed on CMPs to evaluate its efficacy and accessibility in combating food insecurity in high-risk CMP participants.
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2026-01-28
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Age Well Poster FINAL.pdf
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14849/9913
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Mark Pasanen, MD
Chris Moldovan
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Age Well (AHEC)
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