Dietary deficiencies exacerbate disparity in COVID-19 and nutrition recommendations for vulnerable populations

Abstract

Marginalized populations face health disparity due to multiple different avenues during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic: 1.Direct COVID-19 infection and hospitalization, 2.Poor overall health and nutrition leading tocomorbidity and worsened outcomes, and 3.Difficult social conditions such as workplacehygiene, living conditions, and transportation. These three identified issues are cyclical in nature and both cause and affect the others. This article studies each of these factors using a literature review, especially in the experience of certain demographics, including elderly, low-income, racial minorities, urban, and institutionalized persons. We then delve into recommendations that can be considered for each of these issues and specific populations. Recommendations can be given to policymakers, public health officials, and epidemiologists as well as basic science researchers and food producers to attack the disparity from both sides. These findings and ideas may be used to improve both nutrition accessibility as well as COVID-19 disparity for these most vulnerable populations.