Nutritional requirements, food insecurity and COVID-19: An outlook for comprehensive view

Abstract

Background: With the growing cases of COVID-19, every single person of the society is in a great challenge to meet their needs, either it is economic, social, or health-related. Malnutrition is another factor which is of more significance due to household food insecurity triggered by COVID-19. Looking into the inconvenience caused due to COVID-19, this review provides an outlook towards the food insecurity and the nutritional needs of the individuals to endure through the unforeseen pandemic situation.Methodology: A literature review.Results: Review findings suggest that the COVID-19 aggravates the global burden of malnutrition. Physical access to food and economic commotion is the major setback caused due to pandemic. Moreover, the elderly and children are the two highly vulnerable groups that have increased risk of COVID-19. Since older people have a pre-existing medical illness, therefore the risk of disease increases. To meet the nutritional needs and boost the immune system, nutrients like Vitamin A, D, C, E, B-complex, especially B6 and B12 along with iron, magnesium, and zinc are of paramount importance in sustaining the immune system.Conclusion: It can be concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic has made people realize the healing potential of food and the importance of consuming nutrient-rich immunity-boosting food. Nonetheless, the burden of food insecurity has led to increased incidence of malnutrition and food inaccessible to the large mass, thus strengthening the health system is of extreme importance. However, it is advocated that the use of restorative nutrient-dense foods is the sole generalized treatment and cure for the people recovering from this illness.