The new normal for food insecurity? A repeated cross-sectional survey over 1 year during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.

BACKGROUND: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: The age-adjusted prevalence of food insecurity was 27.9% during lockdown (n = 1168), 19.5% when restrictions had eased (n = 1097) and 22.6% 1-year post-lockdown (n = 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. CONCLUSIONS: 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.

Consumer-driven strategies towards a resilient and sustainable food system following the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health restrictions temporarily disrupted food supply chains around the world and changed the way people shopped for food, highlighting issues with food systems resilience and sustainability. The aim of this study was to explore consumer-driven strategies towards a more resilient and sustainable food system in Australia, learning from experiences during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: During May-June 2020, a cross-sectional, online survey was conducted in Tasmania, Australia in a non-random sample of adults aged 18 years and over. The survey collected demographic data and posted the open-ended question: "How could Tasmania's food system be better prepared for a disaster in the future?" Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the demographic data and thematic analysis was employed to analyse the qualitative data. RESULTS: Survey respondents (n = 698) were predominantly female (79%), over 55 years of age (48%), university educated (70%) and living with dependents (45%). Seven key themes were identified: (i) balance food exports with local needs; (ii) strengthen local food systems; (iii) increase consumer awareness of food supply chains; (iv) build collaboration and connection in the food system; (v) embed clear contingency arrangements; (vi) support community capacity building and individual self-sufficiency; and (vii) the food system coped well. CONCLUSIONS: The consumer-driven strategies identified indicate multiple opportunities to increase resilience and sustainability in the food system to avoid future supply disruptions. Our findings indicate that considerable popular support for more resilient, local and sustainable food systems may be emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Food insecure households faced greater challenges putting healthy food on the table during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the Australian food supply. However, it has remained unclear how food access, food availability and consumption were impacted, especially for households experiencing food insecurity. This study aimed to determine the association between food security and cooking and eating habits, food access and availability, self-sufficiency and perceptions of the food supply at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Tasmania, Australia. Throughout May-June 2020 during strict social distancing restrictions, a cross-sectional survey was conducted including the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module Six-Item Short Form, twenty Likert scale questions on cooking and eating habits, food access, self-sufficiency and perceptions of the food supply (responses from 1 = strongly agree to 5 = strongly disagree), two questions on food availability and eleven socio-demographic questions. Survey data (n = 1067) were analysed using multivariate linear regression, and binary logistic regression. Food insecure households were significantly more likely to agree they were consuming less fresh food compared with food secure households (Mean difference between scale responses (MD) = 0.66; 95%CI:0.36-0.66; p < 0.001), and significantly more food insecure households agreed it was more difficult to get to the shops (MD = 0.49; 95%CI:0.34-0.64; p < 0.001) and they had less money available for food than prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (MD = 0.95; 95%CI:0.79-1.10; p < 0.001). Compared to food secure households, food insecure households were at significantly greater risk of foods being unavailable to them (OR:1.75; 95%CI:1.33-2.35; p < 0.001) and were less likely to have sufficient food stored in their homes (OR:0.48; 95%CI: 0.33-0.687; p < 0.001). This study indicates there was a disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food insecure households, related to food availability and access, with effects on cooking and eating habits.

Prevalence and Socio-Demographic Predictors of Food Insecurity in Australia during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated economic vulnerabilities and disrupted the Australian food supply, with potential implications for food insecurity. This study aims to describe the prevalence and socio-demographic associations of food insecurity in Tasmania, Australia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional survey (deployed late May to early June 2020) incorporated the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module: Six-Item Short Form, and fifteen demographic and COVID-related income questions. Survey data (n = 1170) were analyzed using univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression. The prevalence of food insecurity was 26%. The adjusted odds of food insecurity were higher among respondents with a disability, from a rural area, and living with dependents. Increasing age, a university education, and income above $80,000/year were protective against food insecurity. Food insecurity more than doubled with a loss of household income above 25% (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 2.02; 95% CI: 1.11, 3.71; p = 0.022), and the odds further increased with loss of income above 75% (AOR: 7.14; 95% CI: 2.01, 24.83; p = 0.002). Our results suggest that the prevalence of food insecurity may have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among economically vulnerable households and people who lost income. Policies that support disadvantaged households and ensure adequate employment opportunities are important to support Australians throughout and post the COVID-19 pandemic.