Food insecurity and social networks among older adults: a global scoping review
Yosephin Anandati Pranoto, Tony Arjuna, Masoud Vaezghasemi, Anna-Karin Hurtig, Fatwa Sari Tetra Dewi, Julia SchrödersAbstract
Objective:
To synthesise evidence on the relationship between food insecurity and social networks among older adults, focusing on conceptualisation and measurement, analytical positionality, directionality of associations and research gaps.
Design:
A scoping review.
Setting:
Global evidence.
Participants:
Adults aged 60 years and older.
Results:
Sixty articles met the inclusion criteria. Research activity increased markedly after 2014, with 45 % published between 2020 and 2025. The median interval between completion of data collection and publication was 4 years. Most were conducted in high-income countries and employed quantitative designs, with limited representation from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and few focusing exclusively on older adults. Food insecurity was assessed using diverse instruments, most commonly the Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM), the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). Social networks were often proxied by marital status, living arrangements or perceived social support, with few studies employing validated instruments or theoretical frameworks. Most studies treated social networks as determinants of food insecurity, while reverse/bidirectional pathways, as well as more nuanced analytical positions such as networks as mediators/outcomes, were rarely explored.
Conclusions:
This review identifies critical gaps in the evidence, including limited research in LMIC, narrow methodological approaches and a lack of attention to bidirectional pathways, which could indicate strategic entry points for food- or network-based intervention. Addressing these gaps through more diverse, globally informed approaches is essential to deepening the epidemiological understanding of how food insecurity and social networks shape ageing.