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

Meredith T. Niles; Alyssa W. Beavers; Lauren A. Clay; Marcelle M. Dougan; Giselle A. Pignotti; Stephanie Rogus; Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos; Rachel E. Schattman; Rachel M. Zack; Francesco Acciai; Deanne Allegro; Emily H. Belarmino; Farryl Bertmann; Erin Biehl; Nick Birk; Jessica Bishop-Royse; Christine Bozlak; Brianna Bradley; Barrett P. Brenton; James Buszkiewicz; Brittney N. Cavaliere; Young Cho; Eric M. Clark; Kathryn Coakley; Jeanne Coffin-Schmitt; Sarah M. Collier; Casey Coombs; Anne Dressel; Adam Drewnowski; Tom Evans; Beth J. Feingold; Lauren Fiechtner; Kathryn J. Fiorella; Katie Funderburk; Preety Gadhoke; Diana Gonzales-Pacheco; Amelia Greiner Safi; Sen Gu; Karla L. Hanson; Amy Harley; Kaitlyn Harper; Akiko S. Hosler; Alan Ismach; Anna Josephson; Linnea Laestadius; Heidi LeBlanc; Laura R. Lewis; Michelle M. Litton; Katie S. Martin; Shadai Martin; Sarah Martinelli; John Mazzeo; Scott C. Merrill; Roni Neff; Esther Nguyen; Punam Ohri-Vachaspati; Abigail Orbe; Jennifer J. Otten; Sondra Parmer; Salome Pemberton; Zain Al Abdeen Qusair; Victoria Rivkina; Joelle Robinson; Chelsea M. Rose; Saloumeh Sadeghzadeh; Brinda Sivaramakrishnan; Mariana Torres Arroyo; McKenna Voorhees; Kathryn Yerxa

doi:10.1093/cdn/nzab135

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

Meredith T. Niles, Alyssa W. Beavers, Lauren A. Clay, Marcelle M. Dougan, Giselle A. Pignotti, Stephanie Rogus, Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos, Rachel E. Schattman, Rachel M. Zack, Francesco Acciai, Deanne Allegro, Emily H. Belarmino, Farryl Bertmann, Erin Biehl, Nick Birk, Jessica Bishop-Royse, Christine Bozlak, Brianna Bradley, Barrett P. Brenton, James BuszkiewiczBrittney N. Cavaliere, Young Cho, Eric M. Clark, Kathryn Coakley, Jeanne Coffin-Schmitt, Sarah M. Collier, Casey Coombs, Anne Dressel, Adam Drewnowski, Tom Evans, Beth J. Feingold, Lauren Fiechtner, Kathryn J. Fiorella, Katie Funderburk, Preety Gadhoke, Diana Gonzales-Pacheco, Amelia Greiner Safi, Sen Gu, Karla L. Hanson, Amy Harley, Kaitlyn Harper, Akiko S. Hosler, Alan Ismach, Anna Josephson, Linnea Laestadius, Heidi LeBlanc, Laura R. Lewis, Michelle M. Litton, Katie S. Martin, Shadai Martin, Sarah Martinelli, John Mazzeo, Scott C. Merrill, Roni Neff, Esther Nguyen, Punam Ohri-Vachaspati, Abigail Orbe, Jennifer J. Otten, Sondra Parmer, Salome Pemberton, Zain Al Abdeen Qusair, Victoria Rivkina, Joelle Robinson, Chelsea M. Rose, Saloumeh Sadeghzadeh, Brinda Sivaramakrishnan, Mariana Torres Arroyo, McKenna Voorhees, Kathryn Yerxa

Health Solutions, College of (CHS)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

45 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (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: The National Food Access and COVID research Team (NFACT) was formed to assess food security over different US study sites throughout the pandemic, using common instruments and measurements. This study presents 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 through an online survey of adults 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 6-item module. Food security prevalence was analyzed using ANOVA by sampling method to assess statistically significant differences. Results: Respondents (n = 27,168) indicate higher prevalence of food insecurity (low or very low food security) since the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with before the pandemic. In nearly all study sites, there is a higher prevalence of food insecurity among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), households with children, and those with job disruptions. The findings demonstrate lingering food insecurity, with high prevalence over time in sites with repeat cross-sectional surveys. There are no statistically significant differences between convenience and representative surveys, but a statistically higher prevalence of food insecurity among high-risk compared with convenience surveys. Conclusions: This comprehensive study demonstrates a higher prevalence of food insecurity in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. These impacts were prevalent for certain demographic groups, and most pronounced for surveys targeting high-risk populations. Results especially document the continued high levels of food insecurity, as well as the variability in estimates due to the survey implementation method.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	nzab135
Journal	Current Developments in Nutrition
Volume	5
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab135
State	Published - Dec 1 2021

Keywords

COVID-19
food insecurity
food security
high-risk
survey sampling

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Medicine (miscellaneous)
Food Science
Nutrition and Dietetics

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10.1093/cdn/nzab135

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Niles, M. T., Beavers, A. W., Clay, L. A., Dougan, M. M., Pignotti, G. A., Rogus, S., Savoie-Roskos, M. R., Schattman, R. E., Zack, R. M., Acciai, F., Allegro, D., Belarmino, E. H., Bertmann, F., Biehl, E., Birk, N., Bishop-Royse, J., Bozlak, C., Bradley, B., Brenton, B. P., ... Yerxa, K. (2021). A Multi-Site Analysis of the Prevalence of Food Insecurity in the United States, before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Current Developments in Nutrition, 5(12), Article nzab135. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab135

Niles, MT, Beavers, AW, Clay, LA, Dougan, MM, Pignotti, GA, Rogus, S, Savoie-Roskos, MR, Schattman, RE, Zack, RM, Acciai, F, Allegro, D, Belarmino, EH, Bertmann, F, Biehl, E, Birk, N, Bishop-Royse, J, Bozlak, C, Bradley, B, Brenton, BP, Buszkiewicz, J, Cavaliere, BN, Cho, Y, Clark, EM, Coakley, K, Coffin-Schmitt, J, Collier, SM, Coombs, C, Dressel, A, Drewnowski, A, Evans, T, Feingold, BJ, Fiechtner, L, Fiorella, KJ, Funderburk, K, Gadhoke, P, Gonzales-Pacheco, D, Safi, AG, Gu, S, Hanson, KL, Harley, A, Harper, K, Hosler, AS, Ismach, A, Josephson, A, Laestadius, L, LeBlanc, H, Lewis, LR, Litton, MM, Martin, KS, Martin, S, Martinelli, S, Mazzeo, J, Merrill, SC, Neff, R, Nguyen, E, Ohri-Vachaspati, P, Orbe, A, Otten, JJ, Parmer, S, Pemberton, S, Al Abdeen Qusair, Z, Rivkina, V, Robinson, J, Rose, CM, Sadeghzadeh, S, Sivaramakrishnan, B, Arroyo, MT, Voorhees, M & Yerxa, K 2021, 'A Multi-Site Analysis of the Prevalence of Food Insecurity in the United States, before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic', Current Developments in Nutrition, vol. 5, no. 12, nzab135. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab135

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abstract = "Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (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: The National Food Access and COVID research Team (NFACT) was formed to assess food security over different US study sites throughout the pandemic, using common instruments and measurements. This study presents 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 through an online survey of adults 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 6-item module. Food security prevalence was analyzed using ANOVA by sampling method to assess statistically significant differences. Results: Respondents (n = 27,168) indicate higher prevalence of food insecurity (low or very low food security) since the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with before the pandemic. In nearly all study sites, there is a higher prevalence of food insecurity among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), households with children, and those with job disruptions. The findings demonstrate lingering food insecurity, with high prevalence over time in sites with repeat cross-sectional surveys. There are no statistically significant differences between convenience and representative surveys, but a statistically higher prevalence of food insecurity among high-risk compared with convenience surveys. Conclusions: This comprehensive study demonstrates a higher prevalence of food insecurity in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. These impacts were prevalent for certain demographic groups, and most pronounced for surveys targeting high-risk populations. Results especially document the continued high levels of food insecurity, as well as the variability in estimates due to the survey implementation method.",

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author = "Niles, {Meredith T.} and Beavers, {Alyssa W.} and Clay, {Lauren A.} and Dougan, {Marcelle M.} and Pignotti, {Giselle A.} and Stephanie Rogus and Savoie-Roskos, {Mateja R.} and Schattman, {Rachel E.} and Zack, {Rachel M.} and Francesco Acciai and Deanne Allegro and Belarmino, {Emily H.} and Farryl Bertmann and Erin Biehl and Nick Birk and Jessica Bishop-Royse and Christine Bozlak and Brianna Bradley and Brenton, {Barrett P.} and James Buszkiewicz and Cavaliere, {Brittney N.} and Young Cho and Clark, {Eric M.} and Kathryn Coakley and Jeanne Coffin-Schmitt and Collier, {Sarah M.} and Casey Coombs and Anne Dressel and Adam Drewnowski and Tom Evans and Feingold, {Beth J.} and Lauren Fiechtner and Fiorella, {Kathryn J.} and Katie Funderburk and Preety Gadhoke and Diana Gonzales-Pacheco and Safi, {Amelia Greiner} and Sen Gu and Hanson, {Karla L.} and Amy Harley and Kaitlyn Harper and Hosler, {Akiko S.} and Alan Ismach and Anna Josephson and Linnea Laestadius and Heidi LeBlanc and Lewis, {Laura R.} and Litton, {Michelle M.} and Martin, {Katie S.} and Shadai Martin and Sarah Martinelli and John Mazzeo and Merrill, {Scott C.} and Roni Neff and Esther Nguyen and Punam Ohri-Vachaspati and Abigail Orbe and Otten, {Jennifer J.} and Sondra Parmer and Salome Pemberton and {Al Abdeen Qusair}, Zain and Victoria Rivkina and Joelle Robinson and Rose, {Chelsea M.} and Saloumeh Sadeghzadeh and Brinda Sivaramakrishnan and Arroyo, {Mariana Torres} and McKenna Voorhees and Kathryn Yerxa",

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doi = "10.1093/cdn/nzab135",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - A Multi-Site Analysis of the Prevalence of Food Insecurity in the United States, before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

AU - Niles, Meredith T.

AU - Beavers, Alyssa W.

AU - Clay, Lauren A.

AU - Dougan, Marcelle M.

AU - Pignotti, Giselle A.

AU - Rogus, Stephanie

AU - Savoie-Roskos, Mateja R.

AU - Schattman, Rachel E.

AU - Zack, Rachel M.

AU - Acciai, Francesco

AU - Allegro, Deanne

AU - Belarmino, Emily H.

AU - Bertmann, Farryl

AU - Biehl, Erin

AU - Birk, Nick

AU - Bishop-Royse, Jessica

AU - Bozlak, Christine

AU - Bradley, Brianna

AU - Brenton, Barrett P.

AU - Buszkiewicz, James

AU - Cavaliere, Brittney N.

AU - Cho, Young

AU - Clark, Eric M.

AU - Coakley, Kathryn

AU - Coffin-Schmitt, Jeanne

AU - Collier, Sarah M.

AU - Coombs, Casey

AU - Dressel, Anne

AU - Drewnowski, Adam

AU - Evans, Tom

AU - Feingold, Beth J.

AU - Fiechtner, Lauren

AU - Fiorella, Kathryn J.

AU - Funderburk, Katie

AU - Gadhoke, Preety

AU - Gonzales-Pacheco, Diana

AU - Safi, Amelia Greiner

AU - Gu, Sen

AU - Hanson, Karla L.

AU - Harley, Amy

AU - Harper, Kaitlyn

AU - Hosler, Akiko S.

AU - Ismach, Alan

AU - Josephson, Anna

AU - Laestadius, Linnea

AU - LeBlanc, Heidi

AU - Lewis, Laura R.

AU - Litton, Michelle M.

AU - Martin, Katie S.

AU - Martin, Shadai

AU - Martinelli, Sarah

AU - Mazzeo, John

AU - Merrill, Scott C.

AU - Neff, Roni

AU - Nguyen, Esther

AU - Ohri-Vachaspati, Punam

AU - Orbe, Abigail

AU - Otten, Jennifer J.

AU - Parmer, Sondra

AU - Pemberton, Salome

AU - Al Abdeen Qusair, Zain

AU - Rivkina, Victoria

AU - Robinson, Joelle

AU - Rose, Chelsea M.

AU - Sadeghzadeh, Saloumeh

AU - Sivaramakrishnan, Brinda

AU - Arroyo, Mariana Torres

AU - Voorhees, McKenna

AU - Yerxa, Kathryn

PY - 2021/12/1

Y1 - 2021/12/1

N2 - Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (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: The National Food Access and COVID research Team (NFACT) was formed to assess food security over different US study sites throughout the pandemic, using common instruments and measurements. This study presents 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 through an online survey of adults 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 6-item module. Food security prevalence was analyzed using ANOVA by sampling method to assess statistically significant differences. Results: Respondents (n = 27,168) indicate higher prevalence of food insecurity (low or very low food security) since the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with before the pandemic. In nearly all study sites, there is a higher prevalence of food insecurity among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), households with children, and those with job disruptions. The findings demonstrate lingering food insecurity, with high prevalence over time in sites with repeat cross-sectional surveys. There are no statistically significant differences between convenience and representative surveys, but a statistically higher prevalence of food insecurity among high-risk compared with convenience surveys. Conclusions: This comprehensive study demonstrates a higher prevalence of food insecurity in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. These impacts were prevalent for certain demographic groups, and most pronounced for surveys targeting high-risk populations. Results especially document the continued high levels of food insecurity, as well as the variability in estimates due to the survey implementation method.

AB - Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (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: The National Food Access and COVID research Team (NFACT) was formed to assess food security over different US study sites throughout the pandemic, using common instruments and measurements. This study presents 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 through an online survey of adults 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 6-item module. Food security prevalence was analyzed using ANOVA by sampling method to assess statistically significant differences. Results: Respondents (n = 27,168) indicate higher prevalence of food insecurity (low or very low food security) since the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with before the pandemic. In nearly all study sites, there is a higher prevalence of food insecurity among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), households with children, and those with job disruptions. The findings demonstrate lingering food insecurity, with high prevalence over time in sites with repeat cross-sectional surveys. There are no statistically significant differences between convenience and representative surveys, but a statistically higher prevalence of food insecurity among high-risk compared with convenience surveys. Conclusions: This comprehensive study demonstrates a higher prevalence of food insecurity in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. These impacts were prevalent for certain demographic groups, and most pronounced for surveys targeting high-risk populations. Results especially document the continued high levels of food insecurity, as well as the variability in estimates due to the survey implementation method.

KW - COVID-19

KW - food insecurity

KW - food security

KW - high-risk

KW - survey sampling

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U2 - 10.1093/cdn/nzab135

DO - 10.1093/cdn/nzab135

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JF - Current Developments in Nutrition

IS - 12

M1 - nzab135

ER -

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

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