Food Insecurity and COVID-19: Disparities in Early Effects for US Adults
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased food insecurity in the United States (US). The objective of this study was to understand the early effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among low-income adults in the US as social distancing measures began to be implemented. On 19–24 March 2020 we fielded...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/6/1648 |
| _version_ | 1797566337629814784 |
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| author | Julia A. Wolfson Cindy W. Leung |
| author_facet | Julia A. Wolfson Cindy W. Leung |
| author_sort | Julia A. Wolfson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased food insecurity in the United States (US). The objective of this study was to understand the early effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among low-income adults in the US as social distancing measures began to be implemented. On 19–24 March 2020 we fielded a national, web-based survey (53% response rate) among adults with <250% of the federal poverty line in the US (<i>N</i> = 1478). Measures included household food security status and COVID-19-related basic needs challenges. Overall, 36% of low-income adults in the US were food secure, 20% had marginal food security, and 44% were food insecure. Less than one in five (18.8%) of adults with very low food security reported being able to comply with public health recommendations to purchase two weeks of food at a time. For every basic needs challenge, food-insecure adults were significantly more likely to report facing that challenge, with a clear gradient effect based on severity of food security. The short-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are magnifying existing disparities and disproportionately affecting low-income, food-insecure households that already struggle to meet basic needs. A robust, comprehensive policy response is needed to mitigate food insecurity as the pandemic progresses. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:25:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f95ba3c686644cdf8d646d8eb7dba271 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:25:34Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-f95ba3c686644cdf8d646d8eb7dba2712023-11-20T02:36:33ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432020-06-01126164810.3390/nu12061648Food Insecurity and COVID-19: Disparities in Early Effects for US AdultsJulia A. Wolfson0Cindy W. Leung1Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USADepartment of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USAThe COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased food insecurity in the United States (US). The objective of this study was to understand the early effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among low-income adults in the US as social distancing measures began to be implemented. On 19–24 March 2020 we fielded a national, web-based survey (53% response rate) among adults with <250% of the federal poverty line in the US (<i>N</i> = 1478). Measures included household food security status and COVID-19-related basic needs challenges. Overall, 36% of low-income adults in the US were food secure, 20% had marginal food security, and 44% were food insecure. Less than one in five (18.8%) of adults with very low food security reported being able to comply with public health recommendations to purchase two weeks of food at a time. For every basic needs challenge, food-insecure adults were significantly more likely to report facing that challenge, with a clear gradient effect based on severity of food security. The short-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are magnifying existing disparities and disproportionately affecting low-income, food-insecure households that already struggle to meet basic needs. A robust, comprehensive policy response is needed to mitigate food insecurity as the pandemic progresses.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/6/1648covid-19food insecuritylow-income adultsdisparitiessurvey |
| spellingShingle | Julia A. Wolfson Cindy W. Leung Food Insecurity and COVID-19: Disparities in Early Effects for US Adults Nutrients covid-19 food insecurity low-income adults disparities survey |
| title | Food Insecurity and COVID-19: Disparities in Early Effects for US Adults |
| title_full | Food Insecurity and COVID-19: Disparities in Early Effects for US Adults |
| title_fullStr | Food Insecurity and COVID-19: Disparities in Early Effects for US Adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Food Insecurity and COVID-19: Disparities in Early Effects for US Adults |
| title_short | Food Insecurity and COVID-19: Disparities in Early Effects for US Adults |
| title_sort | food insecurity and covid 19 disparities in early effects for us adults |
| topic | covid-19 food insecurity low-income adults disparities survey |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/6/1648 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT juliaawolfson foodinsecurityandcovid19disparitiesinearlyeffectsforusadults AT cindywleung foodinsecurityandcovid19disparitiesinearlyeffectsforusadults |