Food insecurity among households with children during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic
Understanding impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic among households with children is necessary to design appropriate public health responses that protect food and nutrition security. The objective of this research was to understand predictors of food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic among hou...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/1166 |
| _version_ | 1827930604004442112 |
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| author | Bailey Houghtaling Lindsey Haynes-Maslow Lauri Andress Annie Hardison-Moody Michelle Grocke-Dewey Denise Holston Megan Patton-López Nila Pradhananga T. Prewitt Justin Shanks Eliza Webber Carmen Byker Shanks |
| author_facet | Bailey Houghtaling Lindsey Haynes-Maslow Lauri Andress Annie Hardison-Moody Michelle Grocke-Dewey Denise Holston Megan Patton-López Nila Pradhananga T. Prewitt Justin Shanks Eliza Webber Carmen Byker Shanks |
| author_sort | Bailey Houghtaling |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Understanding impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic among households with children is necessary to design appropriate public health responses that protect food and nutrition security. The objective of this research was to understand predictors of food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic among households with at least one child (<18 years), including whether foods reported as out-of-stock were associated with the likelihood of food insecurity. An online survey using validated measures and open-ended questions was distributed to a convenience sample in five states—Louisiana, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, and West Virginia—during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic (April through September of 2020). Predictors of food insecurity (race/ethnicity, age, marital status, education, federal nutrition assistance program participation, number of adults and children in the household, rurality, and missing foods when shopping) among households with children during the COVID-19 pandemic were modeled using logistic regression (p < 0.05, a priori). To further illuminate household experiences during this time, two researchers independently coded open-ended survey question data using inductive and deductive approaches to construct themes. Households with children had increased odds of experiencing food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic if they had the following characteristics: Hispanic ethnicity; age between 25 and 44 years; additional adult household members; economic hardship; SNAP/WIC participation; being widowed, divorced, or separated; and reporting foods not available when shopping. Participants described mainly negative changes to dietary patterns and practices as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. They also described food security challenges and ideas for improving food security. Consistent with other data collected and analyzed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study contributes findings that emphasize the need for enhanced public health responses and emergency preparedness measures that protect food and nutrition security. Because of the increased short- and long-term consequences including exposure to adverse circumstances, impaired learning, risks to mental health, and poor health outcomes, ensuring an adequate food supply is especially important for households with children.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T06:39:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-62b4643a5ca140e3be8d9d06119df3ef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2152-0801 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T06:39:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
| spelling | doaj.art-62b4643a5ca140e3be8d9d06119df3ef2023-06-08T18:41:36ZengLyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food SystemsJournal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development2152-08012023-06-0112310.5304/jafscd.2023.123.015Food insecurity among households with children during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemicBailey Houghtaling0Lindsey Haynes-Maslow1Lauri Andress2Annie Hardison-Moody3Michelle Grocke-Dewey4Denise Holston5Megan Patton-López6Nila Pradhananga7T. Prewitt8Justin Shanks9Eliza Webber10Carmen Byker Shanks11Louisiana State University (LSU) & LSU Agricultural CenterNorth Carolina State UniversityWest Virginia UniversityNorth Carolina State UniversityMontana State UniversityLouisiana State University (LSU) & LSU Agricultural CenterWestern Oregon UniversityLouisiana State University (LSU) & LSU Agricultural CenterUniversity of Arkansas for Medical SciencesIngredients ConsultingMontana State UniversityMontana State University Understanding impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic among households with children is necessary to design appropriate public health responses that protect food and nutrition security. The objective of this research was to understand predictors of food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic among households with at least one child (<18 years), including whether foods reported as out-of-stock were associated with the likelihood of food insecurity. An online survey using validated measures and open-ended questions was distributed to a convenience sample in five states—Louisiana, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, and West Virginia—during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic (April through September of 2020). Predictors of food insecurity (race/ethnicity, age, marital status, education, federal nutrition assistance program participation, number of adults and children in the household, rurality, and missing foods when shopping) among households with children during the COVID-19 pandemic were modeled using logistic regression (p < 0.05, a priori). To further illuminate household experiences during this time, two researchers independently coded open-ended survey question data using inductive and deductive approaches to construct themes. Households with children had increased odds of experiencing food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic if they had the following characteristics: Hispanic ethnicity; age between 25 and 44 years; additional adult household members; economic hardship; SNAP/WIC participation; being widowed, divorced, or separated; and reporting foods not available when shopping. Participants described mainly negative changes to dietary patterns and practices as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. They also described food security challenges and ideas for improving food security. Consistent with other data collected and analyzed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study contributes findings that emphasize the need for enhanced public health responses and emergency preparedness measures that protect food and nutrition security. Because of the increased short- and long-term consequences including exposure to adverse circumstances, impaired learning, risks to mental health, and poor health outcomes, ensuring an adequate food supply is especially important for households with children. https://foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/1166COVID-19PandemicFood InsecurityFood AccessSocial InequalityHouseholds with Children |
| spellingShingle | Bailey Houghtaling Lindsey Haynes-Maslow Lauri Andress Annie Hardison-Moody Michelle Grocke-Dewey Denise Holston Megan Patton-López Nila Pradhananga T. Prewitt Justin Shanks Eliza Webber Carmen Byker Shanks Food insecurity among households with children during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development COVID-19 Pandemic Food Insecurity Food Access Social Inequality Households with Children |
| title | Food insecurity among households with children during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Food insecurity among households with children during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Food insecurity among households with children during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Food insecurity among households with children during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Food insecurity among households with children during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | food insecurity among households with children during the early months of the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | COVID-19 Pandemic Food Insecurity Food Access Social Inequality Households with Children |
| url | https://foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/1166 |
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