Addressing Pandemic-Intensified Food Insecurity

Abstract

* Abbreviations: COVID-19 — : coronavirus disease 2019 EBT — : Electronic Benefits Transfer eMTY — : Emergency Meals-to-You MTY — : Meals-to-You NSLP — : National School Lunch Program P-EBT — : Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer SBP — : School Breakfast Program SFSP — : Summer Food Service Program USDA — : US Department of Agriculture As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic progresses, child health advocates must continue to address the pandemic’s impact on child health and well-being. School meal programs serve as a critical safety net against food insecurity and malnutrition for vulnerable children worldwide.1 When the pandemic emerged as a global threat in the early months of 2020, most national governments shuttered schools as part of their efforts to slow viral spread. In total 194 countries, including the United States, closed schools and universities by early April 2020.2 Overnight, school-aged children lost access to affordable, nutritious meals.1 This occurred in the setting of pandemic-related economic contraction, job losses, supply chain disruptions, and rising food costs.3,4 It comes as no surprise that food insecurity has skyrocketed across the United States, especially among families with children.5–7 Early analyses suggest the prevalence of food insecurity in US households with children at least doubled, if not tripled, from prepandemic levels.5–7 Furthermore, experts report this rise in food insecurity cannot be explained by unemployment alone, pointing to the loss of school meals as a major contributor.7 Even brief spells of food insecurity have detrimental consequences for child health and well-being; students living in households that experience food insecurity during the summer are more likely to lose reading skills, gain excessive weight, and have mental health and behavioral problems compared with peers.8 As pediatricians, we must call for strong policies to protect school-aged … Address correspondence to Ovini D. Rodrigo, MD, Pediatrics Residency Program, One Baylor Plaza, BCM 320, Houston, TX 77030. E-mail: orodrigo{at}bcm.edu

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