Food insecurity across age groups in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic

Authors: FAN, ZHONGQI - Friedman School Of Nutrition; YANG, AMY - Friedman School Of Nutrition; LEHR, MARCUS - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University; RONAN, ANA - Friedman School Of Nutrition; SIMPSON, RYAN - Friedman School Of Nutrition; NGUYEN, KIMBERLY - Rollins School Of Public Health; NAUMOVA, ELENA - Friedman School Of Nutrition; EL-ABBADI, NAGLAA - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University

Submitted to: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/7/2024
Publication Date: 8/16/2024
Citation: Fan, Z., Yang, A., Lehr, M., Ronan, A.B., Simpson, R.B., Nguyen, K.H., Naumova, E.N., El-Abbadi, N.H. 2024. Food insecurity across age groups in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21081078.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21081078

Interpretive Summary: This study characterized food insecurity among adults in the United States over the course of the pandemic using data collected by the CDC from April 2020 - May 2023. Overall, approximately 9% of the population reported being food insecure. However, the proportions varied by age group. Roughly 25% of those aged 44 years and younger reported being food insecure, down to 2.6% for those aged 75+ years. Across all age groups, higher odds of food insecurity were found among Black, Hispanic/Latino, or Other/Multiracial respondents; those without a college degree; those with lower incomes; those unemployed for reasons other than retirement; and non-homeowners. Our results indicate that continuous monitoring of food insecurity during emergencies is critical to identify vulnerable populations and inform interventions.

Technical Abstract: Food insecurity increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the impact varied across different age groups during the prolonged public health emergency. This study sought to describe national food insecurity prevalence by adult age group at multiple stages of the pandemic and explore differences by demographic characteristics. Data were from the nationally representative US Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey from April 2020 to May 2023 (N = 4,153,462). Locally weighted scatterplot smoothing (LOESS) regression analysis identified change points in food insecurity trends, segmenting the timeline into three periods: (1) April 2020-March 2021, (2) April 2021-May 2022, and (3) June 2022-May 2023. Logistic regression models examined associations between age, time period, and self-reported household food insecurity; covariates included demographics, socioeconomic status, household structure, and food support program usage. Overall, 9.3% of respondents experienced food insecurity, ranging from 3.5% among those aged =75 to 12.2% for ages 35-44 years. Significant interaction between age group and time period indicated inconsistency in the age-food insecurity association during the pandemic (p < 0.001). From Period 1 to 3, the proportion of food-insecure adults aged =65 rose from 9.2% to 13.9%. Across all age groups, higher odds of food insecurity were found among Black, Hispanic/Latino, or Other/Multiracial respondents; those with less than a Bachelor's degree; those with incomes below USD 35,000; those unemployed for reasons other than retirement; and non-homeowners (p < 0.001). The results show that trends and characteristics associated with food insecurity varied across age groups and time periods. Continuous monitoring of food insecurity during emergencies is critical to identify vulnerable populations and timely interventions.