Perceived Food-Related Responsibilities among Adults Aged 60 Years and Older

Abstract

Food citizenship states individuals, organizations, and governments have responsibilities for their actions and policies around food. We conducted twenty semi-structured interviews with older adults as an exploratory study about perceived food-related responsibilities. The government and agribusiness were seen as responsible for food safety and how healthy foods are. The government, agribusiness, and emergency food providers were seen as responsible for availability and accessibility. Individuals were seen as having a personal responsibility to access and choose healthy, safe foods. These results have important implications for understanding how older adults think about the roles themselves and others play in the food system.