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Food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from a survey of low-income Americans

Author

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  • Di Fang

    (University of Arkansas)

  • Michael R. Thomsen

    (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences)

  • Rodolfo M. Nayga

    (Texas A&M University)

  • Wei Yang

    (University of Arkansas)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased food insecurity despite emergency legislation that put more resources into food assistance programs, increased unemployment benefits, and provided stimulus payments. We conducted a survey in the US on food insecurity among low-income Americans during the early months of the pandemic. While we cannot estimate causal effects, we are able to show important associations between food insecurity and nutritional and economic assistance that highlight the need to ensure that those newly at risk for food insecurity are able to connect to resources. For example, our results indicate that those who lost jobs due to the pandemic reported the highest level of food insecurity and also the lowest engagement with food assistance programs. The SNAP expansion appears to be important only among groups with higher levels of income stability including non-minority households and those not experiencing a job loss. Thus, the SNAP expansion may not have had a meaningful impact on those most at risk for food insecurity. Finally, our data highlight the importance of school meal programs during normal times. Those who took advantage of school meals before the outbreak are more likely to have experienced food insecurity during the pandemic-related school closures.

Suggested Citation

  • Di Fang & Michael R. Thomsen & Rodolfo M. Nayga & Wei Yang, 2022. "Food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from a survey of low-income Americans," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(1), pages 165-183, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:14:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s12571-021-01189-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s12571-021-01189-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Yingru Li & Dapeng Li & Christian King, 2022. "Food Insufficiency among Job-Loss Households during the Pandemic: The Role of Food Assistance Programs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-14, November.
    2. Leschewski, Andrea & Melo, Grace & Jones, Jordan W., 2022. "The SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot’s Impact on Food Sufficiency During the Covid-19 Pandemic," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322060, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    3. Michelle Sarah Livings & John Wilson & Sydney Miller & Wändi Bruine de Bruin & Kate Weber & Marianna Babboni & Mengya Xu & Kenan Li & Kayla de la Haye, 2023. "Spatial characteristics of food insecurity and food access in Los Angeles County during the COVID-19 pandemic," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(5), pages 1255-1271, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Food insecurity; COVID-19 pandemic; Low-income; Racial disparity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C31 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models; Quantile Regressions; Social Interaction Models
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy

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