Abstract
Spatial regression analysis was applied separately to the annual US state-level food insecurity data from 2015 through 2018, and 2020 to examine the effects of race, region of residency, and poverty particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the analysis suggested that the US food insecurity level was trending downwards between 2015 and 2018 but increased by 33.5% in 2020, obviously due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, residents from the West experienced higher food insecurity levels relative to the Mid-West between 2015 and 2018. The analysis also revealed that race is not a determining factor of food insecurity as both White and Black are equally affected to a significant level. Rather, the most salient determinant of food insecurity is poverty. The effects of poverty were positive and strongly significant from 2015 through 2018. The effect was, however, mild in 2020 probably due to the stimulus and unemployment checks people received through the Care Act. This result underscored the importance of SNAP and other government intervention programs in addressing the country’s food insecurity problems.
Highlights
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) describes food insecurity as a lack of steady access to enough food for active and healthy living [1]
The results of the analysis suggested that the US food insecurity level was trending downwards between 2015 and 2018 but increased by 33.5% in 2020, obviously due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The analysis revealed that race is not a determining factor of food insecurity as both White and Black are affected to a significant level
Summary
With regards to low food security, households reduced the quality, variety, and desirability of their diets, but the quantity of food intake and normal eating patterns were not substantially disrupted while very low food insecure households, their eating pattern of one or more members were disrupted and food intake reduced because the household lacked money or other resources of food at times during the year [2]. An estimated 11.8 percent of American households were food insecure at least sometime during the year in 2017, meaning they lacked access to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members [4]. This was down from 12.3 percent in 2016. Studies have shown that children in food-insecure households had 2.0 - 3.0 times higher odds of having anemia, 2.0 times higher odds of being in fair or poor health, and 1.4 - 2.6 times higher odds of having asthma [5] [6] [7]
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