Prevalence and Severity of Food Insecurity Before and During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic Among Adults and Youth in Australia, Canada, Chile, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States

Background: Disruptions from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic potentially exacerbated food insecurity among adults and youth. Objectives: The objective was to examine changes in the prevalence and severity of food insecurity among adults and youth from before (2019) to during (2020) the pandemic in multiple countries. Methods: Repeated cross-sectional data were collected among adults aged 18-100 y (n = 63,278) in 5 countries in November to December in 2018-2020 and among youth aged 10-17 y (n = 23,107) in 6 countries in November to December in 2019 and 2020. Food insecurity in the past year was captured using the Household Food Security Survey Module and the Child Food Insecurity Experiences Scale. Changes in the prevalence and severity of food insecurity were examined using logistic and generalized logit regression models, respectively. Models included age, gender, racial-ethnic identity, and other sociodemographic characteristics associated with food insecurity to adjust for possible sample differences across waves. Models were weighted to reflect each country's population. Results: Adults [adjusted OR (AOR): 1.15; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.31] and youth (AOR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.19, 1.71) in Mexico were more likely to live in food-insecure households in 2020 compared to 2019. Adults in Australia (AOR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.92) and Canada (AOR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.77, 0.99) were less likely to live in food-insecure households in 2020. Trends in severity aligned with changes in prevalence, with some exceptions. Youth in Australia (AOR: 2.24; 95% CI: 1.65, 3.02) and the United States (AOR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.86) were more likely to have many compared with no experiences of food insecurity in 2020 compared to 2019. There was no evidence of change among adults and youth in the remaining countries. Conclusions: Except for Mexico, few changes in food insecurity among adults and youth were observed from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic. Action is needed to support households at risk of food insecurity.

Automated summary

The study found that adults and youth in Mexico were more likely to live in food-insecure households in 2020 compared to 2019, while adults in Australia and Canada were less likely to do so. Youth in Australia and the United States were more likely to experience food insecurity in 2020 compared to 2019. There were no significant changes observed among adults and youth in the remaining countries.