Changes in food sufficiency among Korean adults in urban and rural areas during the COVID-19 pandemic: an analysis of the 7th and 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Epidemiol Health
; 46: e2024045, 2024.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38637970
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
Understanding changes in food sufficiency within various demographic groups during emergency situations, such as the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, is crucial in formulating public health policies for future preparedness. This study investigated potential differences between urban and rural residents in food sufficiency trends during the COVID-19 pandemic and examined how these changes varied according to socio-demographic factors.METHODS:
This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 19,724 adults aged 20 years and older, utilizing information from the 7th-8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2018-2021).RESULTS:
In urban areas, across all subpopulations, food sufficiency improved significantly during the COVID-19 period relative to pre-pandemic levels (p<0.001). However, in rural regions, a significant increase in food sufficiency during the COVID-19 era was observed only among female, with an odds ratio of 1.42 (95% confidence interval, 1.06 to 1.89). Nevertheless, no significant interaction terms were found between region and various socio-demographic factors regarding changes in food sufficiency during the COVID-19 period.CONCLUSIONS:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, food sufficiency among urban residents improved compared to the pre-pandemic era, whereas their rural counterparts saw no such improvement. Additionally, no significant interaction was detected between urban versus rural areas and changes in food sufficiency during the COVID-19 period. These findings indicate the need for targeted food policies to prepare for potential future pandemics, particularly in rural areas, where food sufficiency did not improve.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Rural Population
/
Urban Population
/
Nutrition Surveys
/
Food Supply
/
COVID-19
Limits:
Adult
/
Aged
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Female
/
Humans
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Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
Epidemiol Health
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article