Food insecurity during the pandemic disproportionately affected non-White and low-income individuals<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/p>\n
WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Roughly one in five U.S. adults experience food insecurity, which is a significant risk factor for delaying or forgoing medical care, according to a study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Public Health<\/em>.<\/p>\n Jaclyn Bertoldo, M.P.H., R.D.N., from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and colleagues assessed food insecurity in the United States in December 2020 using a web-based survey and examined associations with underuse of medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n The researchers found that in December 2020, 18.8 percent of the 8,318 U.S. adults surveyed reported experiencing food insecurity. Non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and low-income respondents had elevated odds of food insecurity. There was a significant association between experiencing food insecurity and a greater likelihood of forgoing any type of medical care as a result of cost concerns.<\/p>\n “We already know that people who struggle with maintaining a healthy diet are at higher risk of many health problems, including those that can make them more vulnerable to COVID-19,” Bertoldo said in a statement. “Delaying or postponing care could compound the risk of COVID-19 complications and contribute to widening health disparities in the pandemic and well after it ends.”<\/p>\n Abstract\/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)<\/a><\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n