UVM research finds food insecurity sparked by pandemic still a problem

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - A year after the pandemic started, University of Vermont researchers say food insecurity is still a problem.

Researchers with the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences have been tracking the same group of about 440 people since the pandemic started.

In March 2021, they say about two-thirds of the participants still reported being food insecure. And 18% said they were still experiencing a job disruption. But of those, only 20% received some form of unemployment.

Researchers say their findings show the recovery process will take longer.

“Food insecurity will probably continue to be a problem for a while and this isn’t surprising because we know from previous economic recessions that we generally see that it takes a while for food and security to recover to pre-recession, or in this case pre-pandemic levels,” said Ashley McCarthy, a UVM food sciences researcher.

Among their study’s participants, they noticed fewer people were using food assistance programs but they’re not sure that’s a statewide trend.

Click here for more on the research.

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