School of Public Health Study Finds Food Security Decreased During Pandemic

An overhead view of baskets filled with apples, peppers and cucumbers.

ALBANY, N.Y. (Sep. 30, 2021) – Research released by the School of Public Health found that food security decreased in the Capital Region during the pandemic and disproportionately impacted already vulnerable populations.

PhD student Mariana Torres, DrPH student Hnin Wai Lwin Myo and Associate Professor Beth Feingold found that overall household food security in New York’s Capital Region decreased in the first year of the pandemic for all income groups examined, but those who were already vulnerable before the COVID-19 pandemic were most affected.

The report, published in the SUNY Scholars Archive, showcases data pulled from surveys distributed in 11 Capital Region counties: Albany, Saratoga, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Greene, Washington, Columbia, Warren, Fulton, Montgomery and Schoharie.

“This data brief describes the food security impacts during the first year COVID-19 in the New York’s Capital Region, showing a disproportionate burden for different groups,” said Torres. “It also provides insights that point out factors that might need further exploration. Overall, this information is expected to help better address food-related needs.”

Key findings include:

  • More than 70 percent of Black and Hispanic households experienced food insecurity since the outbreak began.
  • Household food insecurity among respondents experiencing job disruptions was double that of households without job disruptions.
  • Households with children were more vulnerable to food insecurity before and since the outbreak compared to households without children.
  • While increases in food security were observed across income groups, over 70 percent of respondents with household income below $25,000 experienced food insecurity since COVID-19.

These findings were a part of the Capital Region FRESH project, an initiative led by Feingold and Xiaobo Xue Romeiko that collects, analyzes and generates data as well as performs modeling to help understand the local food system dynamics. It is a part of the work underway by the National Food Access and COVID Research Team (NFACT).

More in-depth results are available on the SUNY Scholars Archive.