Erschienen:
Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2022
Erschienen in:International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
Sprache:
Englisch
DOI:
10.1186/s12966-022-01347-4
ISSN:
1479-5868
Entstehung:
Anmerkungen:
Beschreibung:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec>
<jats:title>Background</jats:title>
<jats:p>Food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic has been impacted by necessary public health restrictions. Tasmania, an island state south of the Australian mainland, recorded no community transmission of COVID-19 between May 2020 to November 2021 due to strong border restrictions. This study aimed to determine the changes in prevalence and sociodemographic predictors of food insecurity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in Tasmania, Australia.</jats:p>
</jats:sec><jats:sec>
<jats:title>Methods</jats:title>
<jats:p>In May 2020 (survey 1: during lockdown), September 2020 (survey 2: eased restrictions) and May 2021 (survey 3: 1-year post-lockdown), cross-sectional, online surveys using convenience sampling methods determined food insecurity in Tasmanian adults using the USDA Household Food Security Survey Module: Six-Item Short Form, in addition to key sociodemographic questions. Crude and age-adjusted prevalence of food insecurity was calculated, and binary logistic regression determined at-risk groups and changes in prevalence over time.</jats:p>
</jats:sec><jats:sec>
<jats:title>Results</jats:title>
<jats:p>The age-adjusted prevalence of food insecurity was 27.9% during lockdown (<jats:italic>n =</jats:italic> 1168), 19.5% when restrictions had eased (<jats:italic>n =</jats:italic> 1097) and 22.6% 1-year post-lockdown (<jats:italic>n =</jats:italic> 1100). Young adults, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, individuals with disabilities, families with dependents and temporary residents were at highest risk across all time points.</jats:p>
</jats:sec><jats:sec>
<jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title>
<jats:p>The prevalence of food insecurity was higher than pre-pandemic levels across all three time points. Our results indicate the potential long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security in Australia, where despite easing social distancing restrictions and a lack of COVID-19 transmission, the prevalence of food insecurity reduced, but did not recover to pre-pandemic levels 1-year following a lockdown.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>