The new normal for food insecurity? A repeated cross-sectional survey over 1 year during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia

作者：Katherine Kent, Sandra Murray, Beth Penrose, Srj Auckland, Ella Horton, Elizabeth Lester, Denis Visentin · 发表于：International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity · 年份：2022 · DOI：10.1186/s12966-022-01347-4 · 被引用次数：31 · 研究领域：Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations、COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts、COVID-19 and Mental Health

BACKGROUND: Food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic has been impacted by necessary public health restrictions. Tasmania, an island state south of the Australian mainland, recorded no community transmission of COVID-19 between May 2020 to November 2021 due to strong border restrictions. This study aimed to determine the changes in prevalence and sociodemographic predictors of food insecurity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in Tasmania, Australia. METHODS: In May 2020 (survey 1: during lockdown), September 2020 (survey 2: eased restrictions) and May 2021 (survey 3: 1-year post-lockdown), cross-sectional, online surveys using convenience sampling methods determined food insecurity in Tasmanian adults using the USDA Household Food Security Survey Module: Six-Item Short Form, in addition to key sociodemographic questions. Crude and age-adjusted prevalence of food insecurity was calculated, and binary logistic regression determined at-risk groups and changes in prevalence over time. RESULTS: The age-adjusted prevalence of food insecurity was 27.9% during lockdown (n = 1168), 19.5% when restrictions had eased (n = 1097) and 22.6% 1-year post-lockdown (n = 1100). Young adults, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, individuals with disabilities, families with dependents and temporary residents were at highest risk across all time points. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of food insecurity was higher than pre-pandemic levels across all three time points. Our results indicat...