Associations between Changes in Food Acquisition Behaviors, Dietary Intake, and Bodyweight during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Low-Income Parents in California

Abstract

COVID-19 disrupted food access, potentially increasing nutritional risk and health inequities. This study aimed to describe and assess associations between changes in food/meal acquisition behaviors and relative changes in dietary intake and bodyweight from before to during the pandemic. Low-income parents (n = 1090) reported these changes by online survey in April–August 2021. Associations were assessed by multinomial logistic regression. Compared to those with no change, those who decreased supermarket shopping had greater odds of decreased fruit and vegetable (FV; OR[95%CI] = 2.4[1.4–4.1]) and increased salty snack intakes (OR[95%CI] = 1.7[1.0–2.8]). Those who decreased farmer’s market shopping had greater odds of decreased FV intake (OR[95%CI] = 1.8[1.0–3.1]), increased bodyweight (OR[95%CI] = 1.7[1.1–2.6]), and increased SSB (OR[95%CI] = 1.9[1.1–3.2]) and sweets intakes (OR[95%CI] = 1.8[1.1–2.9]). Those who increased online food ordering had greater odds of increased sweets (OR[95%CI] = 1.7[1.1–2.8]), salty snacks (OR[95%CI] = 1.9[1.2–3.2]), and fast food (OR[95%CI] = 2.0[1.2–3.5]) intakes and bodyweight (OR[95%CI] = 1.8[1.1–2.9]). Those who increased healthy meal preparation had greater odds of increased FV intake (OR[95%CI] = 4.0[2.5–6.5]), decreased SSB (OR[95%CI] = 3.7[2.3–6.0]), sweets (OR[95%CI] = 2.7[1.6–4.4]), salty snacks (OR[95%CI] = 3.0[1.8–5]) and fast food intakes (OR[95%CI] = 2.8[1.7–4.6]) and bodyweight (OR[95%CI] = 2.2[1.2–4.0]). Interventions to address the potentially negative impacts of online food/meal shopping and support healthy home cooking may be needed to improve nutrition-related outcomes and reduce health disparities in the aftermath of the current pandemic and during future emergencies requiring similar restrictions.