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Sonia Rodríguez-Ramírez1, Elsa Berenice Gaona-Pineda2, Brenda Martínez-Tapia3
1Centro de Investigación en Nutrición y Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública. Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.. scrodrig@gmail.com.
Salud Publica De Mexico
|January 31, 2022
Summary
Severe food insecurity was linked to negative dietary changes during the COVID-19 lockdown in Mexico. This occurred in households experiencing reduced food spending, impacting food security.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
- Sociology
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns significantly impacted food access and dietary patterns globally.
- Understanding these changes is crucial for public health interventions, especially in vulnerable populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between food insecurity and perceived dietary changes during the COVID-19 lockdown in Mexico.
- To identify factors influencing these dietary shifts in Mexican households.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 9,933 households participating in the 2020 Continuous National Health and Nutrition Survey (Ensanut-Continua 2020 Covid-19).
- Assessed food insecurity using the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale (ELCSA).
- Analyzed dietary changes (negative, positive, no change) using multinomial models, adjusting for sociodemographic factors.
Main Results:
- Households with reduced food expenditure and severe food insecurity exhibited a higher likelihood of negative dietary changes (OR 0.43, 95% CI: 0.40-0.46).
- Severe food insecurity was a significant predictor of detrimental shifts in food consumption patterns.
Conclusions:
- Severe food insecurity is strongly associated with negative dietary modifications during the COVID-19 lockdown.
- Reduced food spending exacerbates the impact of food insecurity on dietary quality, highlighting a critical public health concern.