A third of older people in Stirling / Clackmannanshire at ‘risk of malnutrition’ – Alloa Advertiser

Report on Malnutrition Risk Among Older Adults in Scotland and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Key Findings

• A study by the charity Food Train reveals that 30 per cent of individuals aged 65 and over in certain areas could face malnutrition and related illnesses.
• This figure is significantly higher than the national average for Scotland, where 22 per cent of older people were found to be at risk in the six months up to September.
• The study’s findings sharply contrast with the official government estimate of 10 per cent, indicating a potentially underestimated public health issue.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): The report highlights a critical failure to achieve Target 2.2, which aims to end all forms of malnutrition. The unacceptable risk levels among the elderly directly contradict the goal of ensuring access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food for all, especially vulnerable populations.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Malnutrition poses a direct threat to the health of older adults, increasing their vulnerability to illness and undermining the core objective of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): The disproportionate impact on the older demographic underscores an inequality that must be addressed. The data suggests that this group is being left behind, contrary to the central promise of the SDGs.

Proposed Interventions and Policy Recommendations

In response to these findings, Food Train has called for political action to advance key SDG targets. The charity urges political parties to integrate the following measures into their manifestos:

1. Provide ring-fenced funding for community-based food access solutions to build sustainable and inclusive communities (SDG 11).
2. Enshrine the right to food for older people in law, strengthening institutional frameworks for justice and human rights (SDG 16).
3. Launch a national malnutrition prevention and screening programme as a proactive public health measure to support good health and well-being (SDG 3).

Conclusion and Call for Partnership (SDG 17)

The charity’s chief executive, Rosie McLuskie, noted that Scotland’s growing older population faces increasing challenges amid shrinking public services and isolation. Food Train is calling for a robust partnership between government and civil society organizations to implement these recommendations. Such collaboration is vital to create a tangible impact on the lives of older people and make meaningful progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals in Scotland.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights issues directly connected to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary focus on malnutrition and food access for the elderly links to goals concerning hunger, health, and inequality.

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  This is the most prominent SDG addressed. The article’s central theme is the risk of malnutrition among people aged 65 and over. The charity Food Train’s study reveals that a significant percentage of older people “could face malnutrition,” directly relating to the goal of ending hunger and ensuring access to nutritious food for all.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article explicitly links malnutrition to negative health outcomes, mentioning “associated illnesses.” Furthermore, the call for a “national malnutrition prevention and screening programme” is a direct public health intervention aimed at ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for this vulnerable age group.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article focuses on a specific, vulnerable demographic—older people. It highlights the inequality they face by stating that the risk of malnutrition in this group is “higher than national averages” and contrasts the study’s findings (22-30% at risk) with the lower “official estimate of 10 per cent.” This points to an inequality of outcome and a need to prioritize the dignity and rights of an often-marginalized group.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

The article’s calls to action and the problems it describes align with specific targets under the identified SDGs.

• Target 2.2: End all forms of malnutrition

  This target aims to, by 2030, “end all forms of malnutrition… and address the nutritional needs of… older persons.” The article is entirely focused on this issue, citing statistics on the number of older people at risk of malnutrition and calling for political intervention to tackle the problem directly.

• Target 3.4: Reduce mortality from non-communicable diseases and promote mental health

  This target seeks to “reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment.” Malnutrition is a significant risk factor for many non-communicable diseases. The proposed “national malnutrition prevention and screening programme” is a preventative measure that directly contributes to achieving this target by mitigating a key cause of illness in the elderly.

• Target 10.2: Promote universal social, economic and political inclusion

  This target aims to “empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age.” The charity’s call to “enshrining the right to food for older people in law” and urging political parties to prioritize the “dignity of older people” are actions aimed at ensuring the social inclusion and fundamental rights of this age group are recognized and protected.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides specific data points that function as indicators to measure the prevalence of the problem and can be used to track progress.

• Indicator for Target 2.2 (Prevalence of malnutrition)

  While the article does not use the official UN indicator code (e.g., 2.2.2), it provides direct measurements that serve the same purpose. The following statistics are explicitly mentioned and can be used as indicators to measure the prevalence of malnutrition risk among older people:

  • The finding that “30 per cent of those aged 65 and over in these areas could face malnutrition.”
  • The broader statistic that “Across Scotland, 22 per cent of older people were found to be at risk.”

  These percentages are quantifiable metrics that measure the scale of the problem within the specific demographic of “older persons,” aligning perfectly with the intent of indicators for Target 2.2.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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