from the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
|
|
JAFSCD is the world’s only community-supported journal. JAFSCD content is open access (free) thanks to the generous support of our shareholders: the JAFSCD Shareholder Consortium, Library Shareholders, a growing number of Individual Shareholders, and our seven JAFSCD Partners: |
|
|
Welcome to the new JAFSCD News Flash! This is a new way for us to send you quick information on new articles published in JAFSCD on a more frequent but brief basis. We hope you find it helpful and interesting! |
|
|
Households with children reporting foods out of stock more than twice as likely to experience food insecurity during early days of pandemic |
| |
|
JAFSCD peer-reviewed article by Bailey Houghtaling (Louisiana State U), Lindsey Haynes-Maslow (North Carolina State U), Lauri Andress (West Virginia U), Annie Hardison-Moody (North Carolina State U), Michelle Grocke-Dewey (Montana State U), Denise Holston (Louisiana State U), Megan Patton-López (Western Oregon U), Nila Pradhananga (Louisiana State U), T. Elaine Prewitt (U of Arkansas), Justin Shanks, Eliza Webber (Montana State U), and Carmen Byker Shanks (Montana State U).
|
|
|
Families living with food insecurity can experience chronic anxiety, stress, and food insufficiency, all of which are tied to adverse health outcomes. Understanding impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on households with children is necessary in order to design appropriate public health responses that protect and promote food and nutrition security.
In a new JAFSCD article, “Food insecurity among households with children during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic,” authors Bailey Houghtaling (corresponding author), Lindsey Haynes-Maslow, Lauri Andress, Annie Hardison-Moody, Michelle Grocke-Dewey, Denise Holston, Megan Patton-López, Nila Pradhananga, T. Elaine Prewitt, Justin Shanks, Eliza Webber, and Carmen Byker Shanks present results from a survey implemented across 5 states during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, which illuminate the impacts of food and nutrition insecurity among households with children.
KEY FINDINGS -
Households with children reporting foods out of stock when shopping during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic were 2.4 times more likely to experience food insecurity. Increased odds of households with children experiencing food insecurity were also identified among those with the following characteristics: Hispanic ethnicity; aged 25-44 years; being widowed, divorced, or separated; additional adult household members; economic hardship; and SNAP/WIC participation.
- Most often, grains, protein, dairy, and vegetables were reported out of stock among households with children during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Participants residing in households with children described the mainly negative influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on dietary patterns and practices due to increases in stress and financial insecurity.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY, PRACTICE, AND RESEARCH -
Monitoring food supply interruptions alongside financial barriers to accessing food should be a priority to inform rapid responses, given the association between food supply challenges and the heightened odds of experiencing food insecurity among households with children during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
-
Results point to a relationship between the mental health toll of the pandemic and dietary practices in potentially harmful ways, all of which warrant further investigation especially among households with children, given the link between adverse childhood experiences and a heightened risk for chronic health conditions and reduced quality of life.
-
Timely policy decisions to support households with children are needed, with swift enactment and heightened clarification to state governments and employers during public health disaster situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
|
Photo above: Some of the contents for the cold meal bags for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Seamless Summer Option (SSO), which provided curbside distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic in San Antonio, Texas, in April 2020. https://flic.kr/p/2iNDgWH
|
|
|
This email is sent to you as a notification of the newest JAFSCD articles and other occasional JAFSCD news. |
|
JAFSCD is an open access, community-supported journal! Your library, program, or organization can become a shareholder to help keep JAFSCD's content available to all, regardless of their resources. We welcome anyone to become an individual shareholder; donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
| |
|
|
