Attitude and Practice Correlates of Food Security Transition during COVID-19

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the associations between food security (FS) transition and food related attitudes and practices during COVID-19.

Methods: We used cross-sectional data pooled from surveys on the impact of COVID-19 on food and health in New York with data from 15 May to 18 September 2020. The 6-item Household FS Survey module was used to assess FI in the year prior to COVID and during COVID. We performed individual multivariate-adjusted multinomial regressions with transition groups (FS-FS, FS-FI, and FI-FI) as the outcome and 4 attitudes, 10 coping practices, and 6 dietary practices as the exposures.

Results: A total of 924 observations were available for analysis. Of these, 39.9%, 13.8% and 38.1% represented the FS-FS, FS-FI, and FI-FI groups, respectively. Food safety (2.04 [1.29, 3.22], borrowing money (3.62 [2.2, 5.95]), buying cheaper foods (3.75 [2.41, 5.82]) or on credit (2.01 [1.24, 3.26]), stretching available food (5.16 [3.37, 7.9]), accepting food from others (2.79 [1.78, 4.36]) or food pantry (4.02 [2.48, 6.51]), throwing less (2.70 [1.7, 4.29]), purchasing less fruits and vegetables (3.22 [1.98, 5.22]), meats (4.90 [2.56, 6.54]), more snacks (1.57 [1.01, 2.44]) and alcohol (1.87 [1.06, 3.30]) were associated with higher odds of being in the FS-FI group, compared to the FS-FS group. Food transition was not associated with attitude related to COVID transmission from food packages, nor with practices of buying non-perishable foods, more food than usual, more soda and less grains.

Conclusions: Understanding attitudes and practices during FS transition will help implementation of adequate interventions during and after public health emergencies.