Food Security Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Following a Cohort of Vermonters During the First Year

Objective: This study assessed changes in household food insecurity throughout the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in a cohort of Vermonters and examined the socio-demographic characteristics associated with increased odds of experiencing food insecurity during the pandemic. Design: We conducted three online surveys with a cohort of Vermonters between March 2020 and March 2021 to collect longitudinal data on food security, food access, and job disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Food security was measured using the USDA six-item module. We used t-tests and chi-square tests to determine statistically significant differences between groups and multivariate logistic regression models to determine the factors correlated with food insecurity. Participants: 441 adults (18 years and older) Setting: Vermont, United States Results: Food insecurity rates increased significantly during the pandemic and remained above pre-pandemic levels a year after the start of the pandemic. Nearly a third (31.6%) of respondents experienced food insecurity at some point during the first year of the pandemic. Certain demographic groups were at significantly higher odds of experiencing food insecurity during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic including households with children (OR 5.1, p < 0.01), women (OR 7.3, p < 0.05), BIPOC/Hispanic respondents (OR 10.4, p < 0.05), and households experiencing a job disruption (OR 4.6, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The prevalence of food insecurity increased during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and remained higher than pre-pandemic levels a year after the pandemic began. Odds of experiencing food insecurity during the pandemic vary based on socio-demographic factors.

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A Multi-Site Analysis of the Prevalence of Food Security in the United States, before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

10.1101/2021.07.23.21260280 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Meredith T. Niles ◽

Alyssa W. Beavers ◽

Lauren A. Clay ◽

Marcelle M. Dougan ◽

Giselle A. Pignotti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

High Risk ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Food Systems ◽

The United States ◽

First Year ◽

Demographic Groups ◽

High Risk Populations ◽

Households With Children ◽

Study Sites

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly affected food systems including food security. Understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted food security is important to provide support, and identify long-term impacts and needs. Objective. Our team- the National Food Access and COVID research Team (NFACT) was formed to assess food security over different U.S. study sites throughout the pandemic, using common instruments and measurements. Here we present results from 18 study sites across 15 states and nationally over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. A validated survey instrument was developed and implemented in whole or part across the sites throughout the first year of the pandemic, representing 22 separate surveys. Sampling methods for each study site were convenience, representative, or high-risk targeted. Food security was measured using the USDA six-item module. Food security prevalence was analyzed using analysis of variance by sampling method to statistically significant differences. Results. In total, more than 27,000 people responded to the surveys. We find higher prevalence of food insecurity (low or very low food security) since the COVID-19 pandemic, as compared to before the pandemic. In nearly all study sites, we find higher prevalence of food insecurity among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), households with children, and those with job disruptions. We also demonstrate lingering food insecurity, with high or increased prevalence over time in sites with repeat surveys. We find no statistically significant differences between convenience and representative surveys, but statistically higher prevalence of food insecurity among high-risk compared to convenience surveys. Conclusions. This comprehensive multi-study site effort demonstrates higher prevalence of food insecurity since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which in multiple survey sites continues throughout the first year of the pandemic. These impacts were prevalent for certain demographic groups, and most pronounced for surveys targeting high-risk populations.

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Socio-demographic, household food security and nutritional status of older (> 50 Y) women from rural Zambian communities: A descriptive study

African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development ◽

10.18697/ajfand.105.20490 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (105) ◽

pp. 18912-18931

Author(s):

U Mukherjee ◽

◽

JM Chalwe ◽

S Mbambara ◽

WH Oldewage-Theron ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Nutritional Status ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Older Women ◽

Demographic Characteristics ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Dietary Intakes ◽

Household Food ◽

Socio Demographic Factors

Socio-demographic factors and household food insecurity are considered to influence the nutritional status of older women. The rapidly growing elderly population in Africa is a concern particularly in sustaining their health and nutritional status. In spite of this, there is a scarcity of information in older Zambian women and this study aimed to assess the socio-demographic factors, nutritional status and household food insecurity status of older women in rural Zambian communities. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Twatasha compound of Kitwe and Ndeke community of Ndola. The socio-demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, dietary intakes and household food security were evaluated in a convenience sample of 153 older women (≥ 50 years) through the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). IBM SPSS version 26 was used for descriptive (frequencies, means and standard deviations, and medians with interquartile frequencies) and inferential (bivariate and Spearman correlations) statistical analyses. The socio-demographic characteristics showed that almost all (98.7%) of the participants had other members of the family residing with them. Most participants (57%) had attained primary school education, 19% had secondary education and 5% had college education. Almost half (49%) of the participants did not report their employment status and 36% reported to be unemployed. Over-nutrition was most prevalent (37.3% overweight and 39.8% obese) while 20.9 % and 2.0% of the respondents were normal weight and underweight respectively. The median (25th percentile; 75th percentile) dietary intakes showed inadequate intakes for most nutrients, except for carbohydrates (170 g [133;225]). The total fat intake represented 14% of total energy intake. The majority (86.0%) of the participants were identified as severely food insecure while only 6.0% were food secure. The majority of the participants (80-90%) used at least seven out of the nine behavioural responses to food insecurity. The findings show resource-poor and severely food insecure communities. We recommended urgent interventions to improve access to healthy foods (such as home gardening projects) and promote healthy dietary habits (including nutrition education).

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Individual and household influences on food security and dietary diversity in seven Dominican batey communities

International Health ◽

10.1093/inthealth/ihy080 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 272-282 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Conor M McWade ◽

Sheau-Chiann Chen ◽

Fei Ye ◽

Douglas C Heimburger ◽

Troy D Moon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Dietary Diversity ◽

Poverty Line ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Food Groups ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Household Food ◽

Multivariable Analyses

Abstract Background To identify individual and household characteristics associated with food security and dietary diversity in seven Haitian–Dominican bateyes. Methods A cross-sectional sample of 667 households were surveyed. Novel household food security scores were calculated from components of the Household Food Insecurity Assessment Scale, while the Food and Agricultural Organization’s Household Dietary Diversity Score was utilized to calculate individual dietary diversity scores. Multivariable analyses were performed using ordinal logistic regression models to estimate the association between these scores and the covariate variables. Secondary dietary diversity analyses were performed after removing non-nutritious food groups. Results Food security was significantly associated with being above the poverty line (OR 3.14, 95% CI 1.92 to 5.14), living in a rural batey (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.03), receiving gifts and/or donations (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.03 to 3.00) and having a salaried job (i.e., not being paid hourly; OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.64). Dietary diversity was significantly associated with living in a semi-urban batey (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.26 to 2.30), living with a partner (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.00), growing at least some of one’s own food (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.17 to 2.23), and receiving gifts and/or donations (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.73). Conclusions Food insecurity and low dietary diversity are highly prevalent in Haitian–Dominican bateyes. The inclusion of sweets and non-milk beverages in dietary diversity calculations appear to skew scores towards higher levels of diversity, despite limited nutritional gains.

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Diet and Food Insecurity Among Residents of a Rural County

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzab035_043 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 135-135

Author(s):

Soghra Jarvandi ◽

Kristen Johnson ◽

Karen Franck

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Regression Models ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Rural County ◽

Men And Women ◽

Added Sugars ◽

Household Food ◽

Multiple Regression Models

Abstract Objectives Rural residents are more likely to experience food insecurity and the related risks for obesity than urban residents. The objective of this study was to explore the association between dietary intake and food insecurity in a sample of residents of a rural county in Tennessee. Methods We used data from an obesity prevention program in a rural county in Tennessee. Adults were recruited to complete a survey, via telephone or online, about lifestyle behaviors. Dietary data were collected using the 26-item National Cancer Institute (NCI) food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Household food security was assessed using the USDA six-item Short Form Food Security Survey Module. Respondents were classified as ‘food secure’ or ‘food insecure’. We used multiple regression models to assess the association between dietary intake (dependent variable) and food security (independent variable) in men and women separately. Models were controlled for age, race, and body mass index. Results Data from 448 surveys were included in the analysis. The respondents’ mean ± SD age was 55 ± 18 years, 60% were female, and 66% were White. Overall, the average daily intake was less than 2 cups equivalents for vegetables (1.54 ± 0.43), less than 1 cup equivalents for fruits (0.92 ± 0.40), and more than 15 teaspoons equivalents for added sugars (16.06 ± 6.36). In multiple regression models, household food insecurity was associated with lower intake of vegetables both in men (mean ± SE, secure vs. insecure 1.76 ± 0.05 vs. 1.57 ± 0.07, P = 0.02) and in women (1.42 ± 0.03 vs. 1.30 ± 0.04, P = 0.01). Household food insecurity was associated with higher intake of added sugars in women (16.74 ± 0.56 vs. 14.87 ± 0.43, P = 0.009), but not in men. Conclusions Food insecurity was a predictor of lower intake of fruits and vegetables among men and women, and higher intake of added sugars among women. These findings highlight the need to address food insecurity in rural areas by improving access to nutritious food. Funding Sources Centers for Disease Control and Prevent (CDC).

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Maternal Food Insecurity is Positively Associated with Postpartum Mental Disorders in Ontario, Canada

Journal of Nutrition ◽

10.1093/jn/nxaa240 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 150 (11) ◽

pp. 3033-3040

Author(s):

Valerie Tarasuk ◽

Craig Gundersen ◽

Xuesong Wang ◽

Daniel E Roth ◽

Marcelo L Urquia

Keyword(s):

Emergency Department ◽

Food Security ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Birth Outcomes ◽

Pregnancy Complications ◽

Household Food Security ◽

First Year ◽

Household Food ◽

First Year Of Life

ABSTRACT Background Household food insecurity has been associated with pregnancy complications and poorer birth outcomes in the United States and with maternal mental disorders in the United Kingdom, but there has been little investigation of the effects of food insecurity during this life stage in Canada. Objectives Our objective was to examine the relationship between the food insecurity status of women during pregnancy and maternal and birth outcomes and health in infancy in Canada. Methods We drew on data from 1998 women in Ontario, Canada, whose food insecurity was assessed using the Household Food Security Survey Module on the Canadian Community Health Survey, cycles 2005 to 2011–2012. These records were linked to multiple health administrative databases to identify indications of adverse health outcomes during pregnancy, at birth, and during children's first year of life. We included women who gave birth between 9 months prior and 6 months after their interview date, and for whom infant outcome data were available. Multivariable Poisson regression models were used to compare outcomes by maternal food security status, expressed as adjusted relative risks (aRR) with 95% CIs. Results While pregnant, 5.6% of women were marginally food insecure and 10.0% were moderately or severely food insecure. Food insecurity was unrelated to pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes, but 26.8% of women with moderate or severe food insecurity had treatment for postpartum mental disorders in the 6-month postpartum period, compared to 13.9% of food-secure women (aRR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.40–2.46). Children born to food-insecure mothers were at elevated risk of being treated in an emergency department in the first year of life (aRR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01–1.38). Conclusions Maternal food insecurity during pregnancy in Ontario, Canada, is associated with postpartum mental disorders and a greater likelihood of infants being treated in an emergency department.

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Determining Food Insecurity: An Application of the Rasch Model with Household Survey Data in Uganda

International Journal of Food Science ◽

10.1155/2014/121269 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Abraham Owino ◽

Ronald Wesonga ◽

Fabian Nabugoomu

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Percent Level ◽

Household Survey ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Security Assessment ◽

Fit Statistics ◽

Rasch Modelling ◽

Household Food ◽

Households With Children

The inexplicable nature of food insecurity in parts of Uganda and worldwide necessitated an investigation into the nature, extent, and differentials of household food security. The main objective of this study was to examine the food security dynamics and model household food insecurity. The Rasch modelling approach was employed on a dataset from a sample of 1175 (Tororo = 577; Busia = 598) randomly selected households in the year 2010. All households provided responses to the food security questions and none was omitted from the analysis. At 5 percent level of significance the analysis indicated that Tororo district average food security assessment (0.137 ± 0.181) was lower than that for Busia district (0.768 ± 0.177). All the mean square fit statistics were in the range of 0.5 to 1.5, and none of them showed any signs of distortion, degradation, or less productivity for measurement. This confirmed that items used in this study were very productive for measurement of food security in the study area. The study recommends further analysis where item responses are ordered polytomous rather than the dichotomous item response functions used. Furthermore, consideration should be given to fit models that allow for different latent distributions for households with children and those without children and possibly other subgroups of respondents.

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Social Predictors of Food Insecurity: The Case of Yatta Constituency, Machakos County, Kenya

Current Research Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities ◽

10.12944/crjssh.3.1.08 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 85-94

Author(s):

Ocharo Robinson Mose ◽

Kithu Lucy Mukami

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Family Size ◽

Green Revolution ◽

Demographic Variables ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Security Level ◽

Chi Square ◽

Social Predictors ◽

Household Food

In the year 2009, it was indicated that 9.8 million Kenyans were food insecure. In 2018 Kenya ranked number 77 worldwide of countries where hunger is serious with a hunger index of 23.2. The specific objectives of the study were to determine the level of food security and the relationship between demographic variables and household food security. The study was purely analytical using a sample of 388 poor households. Data was collected using interview schedules. To test food security level, a modified Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) score was used. To find out if any relationship exists between demographic variables and household food security, Chi-square test was used. Findings indicated that 18.7 percent of the households were food secure and that 63.5 percent of the households experienced severe food insecurity. The other findings were that there is no relationship between food security and gender and that there is a relationship between food security and education, occupation, and the number of children. Since the major variables that are found to contribute to food insecurity are educational level, employment and family size of the household, key interventions could be one the introduction of Extension Education with a vibrant Functional Literacy, two actualizing the three pillars of the green revolution namely; maximization of space, maximization of time and use of high yielding varieties and three introduction of community programs meant to educate the community on family size and food security.

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Child-Reported Food Insecurity Is Negatively Associated with Household Food Security, Socioeconomic Status, Diet Diversity, and School Performance among Children Attending UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees Schools in Lebanon

Journal of Nutrition ◽

10.1093/jn/nxz189 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 149 (12) ◽

pp. 2228-2235 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Zeina Jamaluddine ◽

Nadine R Sahyoun ◽

Jowel Choufani ◽

AnnieBelle J Sassine ◽

Hala Ghattas

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Internal Validity ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Healthy Children ◽

Diet Diversity ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Household Food ◽

Academic Grades ◽

Item Scale

ABSTRACT Background Recent studies have shown that children are able to accurately describe their own experiences of food insecurity; however, few studies have quantified this experience. Objectives We aimed to develop and validate a child food security scale to be used in Arabic-speaking countries. Methods As part of the Healthy Kitchens Healthy Children study on food security and nutrition in schools, 14 questions were administered to 5–15-y-old children (n = 1433) attending 4 UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees schools. We used statistical methods based on Item Response Theory to assess the internal validity of a proposed food security scale using these items. Further validation of the scale was conducted by examining associations with sociodemographic, economic, household food security, and diet diversity variables through logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, and school of the children. Results A total of 1287 children (89.8%) provided complete responses to the questionnaire. Four items were dropped from the scale because of high infit statistics (>1.3) and high residual correlation with other items. The resulting 10-item scale had acceptable reliability (Cronbach α coefficient = 0.89). Children who reported food insecurity were more likely to be from food-insecure households (OR: 2.3; P < 0.001). Food-insecure children came from households with lower expenditures per capita (OR: 0.80; P = 0.007) and higher household crowding (OR: 1.70; P = 0.001), and had less educated mothers (OR: 0.89; P = 0.009), lower household diet diversity (OR: 0.85; P < 0.001), and lower household consumption of meat (OR: 0.89; P < 0.001) and fruit (OR: 0.95; P = 0.001). Child food insecurity was also associated with higher school absenteeism (OR: 1.64; P = 0.01) and lower academic grades in languages and science (P < 0.05). Conclusions Child food security was accurately measured through a 10-item scale. This tool is appropriate to assess child food insecurity experience directly with children, and can be used in school-based interventions, where obtaining data from parents may be cumbersome.

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Food insecurity, childhood hunger and caregiver life experiences among households with children in South Carolina, USA

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980019000922 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 22 (14) ◽

pp. 2581-2590 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Erin R Drucker ◽

Angela D Liese ◽

Erica Sercy ◽

Bethany A Bell ◽

Carrie Draper ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Carolina ◽

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Life Experiences ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Household Food ◽

Unit Increase ◽

Child Hunger ◽

Households With Children ◽

Negative Life Experiences

AbstractObjective:We explored how positive and negative life experiences of caregivers are associated with household food insecurity.Design:The Midlands Family Study (MFS) was a cross-sectional study with three levels of household food security: food secure, food insecure without child hunger and food insecure with child hunger. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was used for analyses of negative and positive life experiences (number, impact, type) associated with food insecurity.Setting:An eight-county region in South Carolina, USA, in 2012–2013.Participants:Caregivers (n 511) in households with children.Results:Caregivers who reported greater numbers of negative life experiences and greater perceived impact had increased odds of household food insecurity and reporting their children experienced hunger. Each additional negative life experience count of the caregiver was associated with a 16 % greater odds of food insecurity without child hunger and a 28 % greater odds of child hunger. Each one-unit increase in the negative impact score (e.g. a worsening) was associated with 8 % higher odds of food insecurity without child hunger and 12 % higher odds of child hunger. Negative work experiences or financial instability had the strongest association (OR = 1·8; 95 % CI 1·5, 2·2) with child hunger. Positive life experiences were generally not associated with food security status, with one exception: for each unit increase in the number of positive experiences involving family and other relationships, the odds of child hunger decreased by 22 %.Conclusions:More research is needed to understand approaches to build resilience against negative life experiences and strengthen positive familial, community and social relationships.

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A Community-based Survey of Household Food Insecurity and Associated Factors Among 2-6 Years Old Children in the Southeast of Iran

10.21203/rs.3.rs-80686/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sara Amaniyan ◽

Mitra sotoudeh ◽

Farhad Dadgar ◽

Mona Jonoush ◽

Mojtaba Vaismoradi

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Urban Area ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Department Of Agriculture ◽

Community Based ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Household Food ◽

The Status ◽

Socio Demographic Factors

Abstract Background: To investigate the status of household food security and factors affecting it among 2-6 years old children in an urban area in the southeast of Iran.Methods: A community-based survey was conducted from September to January 2018 on 450 children aged 2-6 years who were selected using stratified cluster random sampling. They lived in six different areas in an urban area in the southeast of Iran. Data was collected using the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Security questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. Results: The prevalence of food insecurity among children was 81.7% consisting of 2.6% without hunger, 9.2% with moderate hunger and 96.9% with severe hunger. The weight gains of those children who were in the insecurity group without hunger was 2.63 times lower than those children in the food security group. Also, chances of weight gain in the insecurity group without hunger and in the insecurity group with moderate hunger were less as 1.91 and 1.41 times, respectively.Conclusions: Food insecurity in children aged 2-6 years was influenced by various socio-demographic factors. Therefore, policy-makers should plan for improving the quality of life and health of the children through improving their food security.

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