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Shifts in Sources of Food but Stable Nutritional Outcomes among Children in the Early Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Christine Borger

    (Westat, 1600 Research Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20850, USA)

  • Courtney Paolicelli

    (Office of Policy Support, Food and Nutrition Service, US Department of Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA)

  • Lorrene Ritchie

    (Nutrition Policy Institute, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California, Oakland, CA 94607, USA)

  • Shannon E. Whaley

    (Public Health Foundation Enterprises WIC, Irwindale, CA 91706, USA)

  • Jill DeMatteis

    (Westat, 1600 Research Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20850, USA)

  • Brenda Sun

    (Westat, 1600 Research Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20850, USA)

  • Thea Palmer Zimmerman

    (Westat, 1600 Research Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20850, USA)

  • Amanda Reat

    (Office of Policy Support, Food and Nutrition Service, US Department of Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA)

  • Sujata Dixit-Joshi

    (Westat, 1600 Research Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20850, USA)

Abstract

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), State governments, and school districts took unprecedented steps to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on students’ nutrition. To examine the effect of emergency responses on 6-year-old children’s nutritional outcomes, this study analyzed longitudinal data from a national study of children’s feeding practices, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children—Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study-2 (WIC ITFPS-2). Findings include no differences in food insecurity prevalence; however, there were shifts in sources of food, with children in the post-COVID-emergency-declaration (post-ED) group consuming more dietary energy from stores and community food programs and less from restaurants and schools than children in the pre-COVID-emergency-declaration (pre-ED) group ( p < 0.01 for all comparisons). Examination of within-person mean differences in 2015 Healthy Eating Index scores and nutrient intakes between ages 5 and 6 years revealed few statistically significant differences between the two groups: children in the post-ED group consumed slightly fewer vegetables ( p = 0.02) and less sodium ( p = 0.01) than their pre-ED peers. Findings suggest emergency efforts to maintain children’s nutrition were largely successful in the early months of the pandemic. Research is needed to understand the mechanisms by which emergency efforts contributed to these findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Christine Borger & Courtney Paolicelli & Lorrene Ritchie & Shannon E. Whaley & Jill DeMatteis & Brenda Sun & Thea Palmer Zimmerman & Amanda Reat & Sujata Dixit-Joshi, 2021. "Shifts in Sources of Food but Stable Nutritional Outcomes among Children in the Early Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-14, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:23:p:12626-:d:691651
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Coleman-Jensen, Alisha & Rabbitt, Matthew P. & Gregory, Christian A. & Singh, Anita, 2020. "Statistical Supplement to Household Food Security in the United States in 2019," Agricultural Economic Reports 305693, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    2. Coleman-Jensen, Alisha & Rabbitt, Matthew P & Gregory, Christian A & Singh, Anita, 2020. "Household Food Security in the United States in 2019," Economic Research Report 327207, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
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    Cited by:

    1. Traci A. Bekelman & Yanan Dong & Amy J. Elliott & Assiamira Ferrara & Kaylyn Friesen & Maren Galarce & Diane Gilbert-Diamond & Deborah H. Glueck & Monique M. Hedderson & Christine W. Hockett & Margare, 2022. "Health Behavior Changes during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Analysis among Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-12, July.

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