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Food Hardship during the COVID‐19 Pandemic and Great Recession

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  • James P. Ziliak

Abstract

I compare the extent of food hardships in the United States among adults and seniors before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Food insufficiency increased threefold compared to 2019, and more than doubled relative to the Great Recession. Food insufficiency among seniors increased 75% during the COVID period, but more than doubled when including reduced intake of food varieties. Receipt of charitable foods among disadvantaged adults spiked 50% in the COVID period, but the initial response among seniors was a sharp reduction, before rising. These patterns are consistent with strong social distancing measures enacted in response to the pandemic.

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  • James P. Ziliak, 2021. "Food Hardship during the COVID‐19 Pandemic and Great Recession," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(1), pages 132-152, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:apecpp:v:43:y:2021:i:1:p:132-152
    DOI: 10.1002/aepp.13099
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. O’Connell, Martin & Smith, Kate & Stroud, Rebekah, 2022. "The dietary impact of the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    2. Ahmad Zia Wahdat, 2022. "Economic Impact Payments and Household Food Insufficiency during COVID-19: The Case of Late Recipients," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 6(3), pages 451-469, November.
    3. John Iceland & Arthur Sakamoto, 2022. "The Prevalence of Hardship by Race and Ethnicity in the USA, 1992–2019," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(5), pages 2001-2036, October.
    4. Jones, Kyle & Leschewski, Andrea & Jones, Jordan & Melo, Grace, 2023. "The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Online Purchasing Pilot’s impact on food insufficiency," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    5. Hausmann, Ricardo & Schetter, Ulrich, 2022. "Horrible trade-offs in a pandemic: Poverty, fiscal space, policy, and welfare," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    6. Y. Zhao & C. Huang & J. Luo, 2022. "How to Prepare for the Next Pandemic -- Investigation of Correlation Between Food Prices and COVID-19 From Global and Local Perspectives," Papers 2211.15515, arXiv.org.
    7. Shatakshee Dhongde & Brian Glassman, 2023. "Multidimensional Hardships in the U.S. During the COVID-19 Pandemic," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 169(3), pages 883-905, October.
    8. Dimitrios V. Diamantis & Konstantinos Katsas & Christina Maria Kastorini & Lyndsey Mugford & Nadia Dalma & Marsellos Ramizi & Ourania Papapanagiotou & Afroditi Veloudaki & Athena Linos & Matina Kouvar, 2023. "Older People in Emergencies; Addressing Food Insecurity, Health Status and Quality of Life: Evaluating the “365+ Days of Care” Program," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-14, March.
    9. Wichmann, Bruno & Wichmann, Roberta, 2022. "COVID-19 and Indigenous health in the Brazilian Amazon," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).

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