ABSTRACT
Home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by dramatic changes in household food dynamics that can significantly influence health. This systematic literature review presents parental perspectives of the impact of COVID-19 lockdown (up to 30 June 2022) on food preparation and meal routines, as well as other food-related behaviors, capturing both favorable and unfavorable changes in the household food environment. Themes and trends are identified and associations with other lifestyle factors are assessed. Overall, families enjoyed more time together around food, including planning meals, cooking, and eating together. Eating more diverse foods and balanced home-cooked meals (e.g., fresh fruit and vegetables) was combined with overeating and increased snacking (e.g., high-calorie snacks, desserts, and sweets), as parents became more permissive towards food; however, food insecurity increased among families with the lowest income. Adoption of meal planning skills and online shopping behavior emerged alongside behaviors aimed at self-sufficiency, such as bulk purchasing and stockpiling of non-perishable processed foods. These results are an important first step in recognizing how this pandemic may be affecting the family food environment, including low-income families. Future obesity prevention and treatment initiatives, but also ongoing efforts to address food management, parental feeding practices, and food insecurity, can account for these changes moving forward.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic, with its cyclical lockdown restrictions and school closures, has influenced family life. The home, work, and school environments have collided and merged to form a new normal for many families. This merging extends into the family food environment, and little is known about how families are currently navigating this landscape. The objective of the present study was to describe families' adaptations in the family food environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Parents participated in one of 14 virtual focus groups (conducted in English and Spanish between December 2020 and February 2021). Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts. RESULTS: Forty-eight parents (81% Hispanic and SES diverse) participated. Five themes and one subtheme were identified around changes in eating habits and mealtime frequency, increases in snacking, family connectedness at mealtimes, and use of screens at meals. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the family food environment. Families shared how their eating habits have changed and that device usage increased at mealtimes. Some changes (e.g., weight gain) may have lasting health implications for both children and parents. Public health officials, pediatricians, and schools should work with families to resume healthy habits post pandemic.