Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security and Health.

Abstract

Ecology of Food and Nutrition (EFN) promotes scholarly discussion and engagement on the holistic and cross-cultural dimensions of food and nutrition. Articles published in this journal focus on foods and food systems in terms of their utilization to satisfy human nutritional needs and improve health and well-being. The journal also publishes articles that examine how ecological, social, and cultural factors influence food availability, choices, and consumption, food cultures, and nutrition. Only a handful of journals publish articles that explicitly address the intersections of food and nutrition, biology and culture, and policy and practice from a holistic and global perspective. It is this kind of scholarship that EFN seeks to promote. The current issue of EFN includes six articles based on studies conducted in Canada, Mexico, Turkey, and the United States. These articles focus on a range of topics, including the relationship between stress and food consumption, impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food availability and stress, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and edible plant diversity. The article by Alexiuk and colleagues focuses on food and nutritional insecurity among newcomer youth in Manitoba, Canada. The authors collected cross-sectional data using an online survey on food intake, eating behaviors, and self-reported health status among 1,347 youth. This is one of the few studies in Canada to directly ask youth about their experiences of food insecurity. It concludes that food security by itself is not enough for optimal health. Nutritional security plays a critical role in optimal health. Based on these findings, the authors advocate for practical-based educational programs in schools focusing on healthy cooking and eating. The COVID-19 pandemic caused food insecurity and hunger among millions of people around the world. To prevent the spread of the disease, several strategies – physical distancing, school closures, lockdowns, etc. – were mandated. These mandates excacerbated food and nutritional challenges that households with food insecurity were already facing. The article by Bradley describes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food access in Buffalo, New York – a region in the United States with significant food insecurity. The author used data collected through surveys and qualitative interviews with users of food pantries to understand their experiences with food insecurity during the peak time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors argue that effective emergency food responses should also focus on other barriers, including transportation, stigma, and chronic poverty in households facing chronic food insecurity. ECOLOGY OF FOOD AND NUTRITION 2023, VOL. 62, NOS. 1–2, 1–2 https://doi.org/10.1080/03670244.2023.2194098