New York, NY —

More than a third of the city's 1.3 million senior citizens may not be getting enough food and the numbers are rising, according to a report released today.

REPORTER: The findings come after 802 elderly people in 15 communities across all five boroughs were surveyed. Thirty-five percent said they suffered food insecurity which could include worrying about food, skipping meals, or going hungry. It is the first comprehensive report since the early 1990s to examine hunger among the elderly, says City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. She and elderly advocates say they are alarmed by the increased numbers.

QUINN: We're incredibly troubled by the data that was in this report, it was far worse than we thought it was going to be.

REPORTER: Black and Latino senior citizens were more adversely affected with nearly twice as many of them then whites saying they faced food insecurity. Advocates are calling for more funding for various meal programs.