NUTRITION AND AGING ACROSS THE PLAINS - A QUALITATIVE STUDY - Abstract citation ID - igaf122.2434

Sep 29, 2026

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Nutrition functions as a crucial determinant of health throughout the lifespan. Older adults can benefit from dietary practices that support cognitive performance, reduce inflammation, promote longevity, and improve overall quality of life. Rural communities in particular face uneven food availability, access, and nutrition-related education, which may worsen health outcomes compared with urban settings. Semi-structured interviews conducted in Nebraska (October–November 2024) used thematic analysis to identify four themes linking social connectedness, education, wellness balance, and access to independence, shaped by built environment and transportation constraints.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Study Objective

Participants and Methods

Key Findings

Four Main Themes

Implications for Community Programming

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 715 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.2434 NUTRITION AND AGING ACROSS THE PLAINS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY Emily Frankel1, Lindsay Wilkinson2, and Christopher Kelly2, 1. University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States, 2. University of Nebraska Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, United States Nutrition is a vital driver of health, playing a key role in health promotion and overall well-being across the lifespan. Older adults, who face morbidity and compromised health outcomes, can leverage dietary habits that support cognitive functioning, decrease inflammation, increase longevity, and improve quality of life. Unfortunately, communities experience heterogeneity in food availability, access, and education, such that rural communities tend tobe older, sicker, and economically disadvantaged, compared to urban communities. To understand the nutritional perceptions and experiences of older adults residing in rural and urban communities in Nebraska, 24 older adults (n=8), medical providers (n=8), and key partners (n=8) participated in semi-structured interviews between October 2024 and November 2024. A thematic analysis revealed four main themes: 1. Relationships and Social Connectedness, 2. Education and Empowerment, 3. Balance and Wellness, and 4.Access and Independence.Ascertaining perspectives from rural-and urban-dwelling individuals demonstrated the role of the built environment on health behaviors. Rural residents were impacted disproportionately and more likely to report a lack of or diminished choice of grocery stores or healthy food establishments. Transportation also varied greatly between rural and urban communities, where rural communities often lacked public transportation. The affordability of produce was demonstrably different in rural vs urban communities and created a barrier for older adults in rural communities to access produce as readily as their urban counterparts. These findings offer innovative and valuable insight into enhancing community programming and resource development for rural and urban communities, ultimately supporting health and well-being through nutrition-based initiatives.

FAQs

What is the study focusing on regarding nutrition and aging?

The study examines nutrition-related perceptions and experiences of older adults living in rural versus urban communities in Nebraska, emphasizing how dietary factors influence health across aging.

Who participated in the interviews and when were they conducted?

The study included 24 older adults, medical providers, and key partners, interviewed between October 2024 and November 2024 using a semi-structured format.

What themes emerged from the thematic analysis?

Four main themes were identified: relationships and social connectedness, education and empowerment, balance and wellness, and access and independence.

How did rural versus urban differences affect access to healthy food?

Rural residents reported fewer or diminished grocery and healthy food options, more limited public transportation, and affordability barriers for produce compared with urban counterparts.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Jacob