The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security Across Income Levels

Background

Food security, defined as the accessibility to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets dietary needs for a healthy life, is a critical aspect of public health and socioeconomic stability that was influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective

This study examines the relationship between income levels and food security among different households, with a specific focus on the changes induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Study Design, Settings, Participants

The study design is cross-sectional utilizing collected data from August 9 to September 15, 2020, through a Qualtrics survey of 10,035 Americans aged 40-100. Food security was examined using USDA's Six-Item Short form and categorized participants as food secure or food insecure. The analysis is structured around three annual household income categories: less than $50,000, between $50,000 and $100,000, and over $100,000.

Measurable Outcome/Analysis

Changes in the prevalence of food security across various income levels before and since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

The Chi-square analysis revealed significant changes in food security across income levels when comparing before and since the COVID-19 pandemic (p < 0.001 for all observed changes). For households earning less than $50,000 per year, there was a slight decrease in the proportion experiencing food insecurity, from 28.1% before COVID-19 to 27.6% since COVID-19. In the $50,000-$100,000 income bracket, there was a minor increase in food insecurity, with the proportion of food insecurity from 11.1 to 12.2% since the pandemic. Among households with incomes of $100,000 and above, the rate of food insecurity slightly decreased from 16.2% before COVID to 15.5% since COVID-19.

Conclusions

This study highlights that the COVID-19 pandemic differentially affected food security across income levels, with a slight improvement for lowest earners and a marginal increase in insecurity for middle-income households. High-income groups exhibited resilience, suggesting that economic stability may buffer against food insecurity during crises. These patterns highlight the necessity for nuanced economic interventions in response to global crises.

Funding

NIFA