Food Insecurity and Eating Disorders during COVID
Social distancing, self quarantine, attempting to flatten the curve, wearing N95 masks, and remote working are the buzzwords of 2020. These phrases have been popping across our social media feeds and news outlets over the past six months. There is no doubt that the ongoing COVID-19 crisis has changed our personal lives drastically. However, it has also shone light on the prevalence of socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic disparities in our communities. Unfortunately, the combination of these disparities and economic issues has driven another problem to an all time high -- food insecurity. Even prior to the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, the United States Department of Agriculture has estimated that 11.1% of American households experienced food insecurity. This ongoing COVID-19 recession has only increased that percentage and the number of people reliant on food banks has surged, making the ability to put food on the table an even bigger issue than ever before.
The COVID-19 pandemic may exacerbate eating disorders and related mental health symptoms due to the increased economic strain, which results in food insecurity. Food insecurity is defined as the inability to have reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. The United States Department of Agriculture divides food insecurity into two main categories: low food security and very low food security. Low food security is the reduction of variety, quality, and desired food out of necessity, which is linked to having little food intake. Multiplied indicators of disrupted eating patterns is a sign of having very low food security. Instances of this include not having food in the fridge due to the lack of access of food.
Several research studies have shown that food insecurity is also associated with other food disorders such as binge eating, anorexia, and bulimia. Across respondents with binge eating disorders and bulimia, individuals with very low or low food security reported higher frequencies of binge eating when compared to individuals who were considered food secure. One possible explanation is that people who lack adequate resources to regularly purchase food may undergo cycles of food restriction. This restriction may increase the risk of binge eating due to the biological effects of starvation and food cravings. Additionally, the economic stress that is correlated to their food insecurity may also be a factor to binge eating. The reverse may also occur with the case of anorexia. Individuals who are food insecure may prioritize other family members’ food and eat less themselves. They can also prioritize other expenses such as rent and medical fees over food due to their financial struggle.
This also unfortunately disproportionately impacts ethnically diverse, low-income urban populations. In the wake of COVID-19, it is dangerous for families to crowd and gather in food banks especially those who are considered higher targets of the coronavirus. However, hundreds of families rely on food banks now as unemployment rates increased due to city lockdowns. Additionally, the USDA recommends us to buy enough food for a week or two at a time to reduce trips to the grocery store and uphold social distancing. This unfortunately would be stressful for individuals with eating disorders like bulimia and binge eating disorders, as they would be confined to their homes with large quantities of food. While the impact of COVID-19 on food security likely varies across the world, it is important to bring awareness to this issue. Fortunately, many health care providers are working with individuals experiencing economic hardship in order to determine whether they need food aid or support in food allocation.
References:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/food-insecurity-covid-19-and-eating-disorders-2020081720777
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7267278/#eat23279-sec-0003title
