Our Work
Examining the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Systems, Food Security, and Food Access in Washington State
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted multiple components of the food system, affecting the food supply and greatly reducing consumer purchasing power. Food production, processing, and delivery systems are experiencing instability. There is an unprecedented need for unemployment benefits, public assistance programs, and food from local food banks. Food systems are changing, perhaps forever, and the consequences on diets, health, and well-being of US households remain to be assessed. Moreover, local, state, and federal measures to mitigate the dietary and health consequences of COVID-19 lack geo-located and granular data to aid in decision-making.
The online survey will assess recent changes experienced by households in food access pathways, the types of foods acquired, their nutritional value and their price. We also propose to assess food insecurity and economic well-being, with an emphasis on lower-income households.
Using the survey data, we will make and map estimates of prevalence of measures and compare the responses to pre-pandemic estimates, and we will explore differences in measures by relevant characteristics and location. The study will provide insights to Washington State agencies trying to respond to rapid-scale alterations in the food system and in food demand, inform Washington State efforts currently under way and led by WSU that are measuring and mapping food bank system needs by County, and be used to model food systems resilience and preparedness for future pandemics, disaster events and large-scale shocks.
- WAFOOD Brief 11 – Special Research Brief: Food Security and Barriers to Food Assistance Use in Washington State Households, 2020-2021
- WAFOOD Brief 10 – Food Security and Food Access Amid COVID-19 in Spokane County Households
- WAFOOD Brief 9 – Food Security and Access Amid Covid-19: A Comprehensive Look at the Second Survey of Washington State Households
- Presentation: Economic Security and Food Access in Washington State During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- WAFOOD Brief 8 – Food Insecurity and Food Assistance During COVID-19: Follow-up Survey of Washington State Households
- Presentation: Insights from the Washington Food Security During COVID19 Survey
- WAFOOD Brief 7 – Comparing Food Insecure and Food Secure Washington State Households During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Memorandum: Comparative Food Insecurity in Washington State
- WAFOOD Brief 6 – Mapping COVID-19 Risk Factors by King County ZIP Codes
- WAFOOD Brief 5 – Economic Security and Food Access During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Snohomish County
- WAFOOD Brief 4 – Economic Security and Food Access During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Clark County
- WAFOOD Brief 3 – Economic Security and Food Access During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Pierce County
- WAFOOD Brief 2 – Economic Security and Food Access During the COVID-19 Pandemic: King County
- WAFOOD Brief 1 – Economic Security and Food Access in Washington State During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Sponsor
University of Washington Population Health Initiative
Project Team
- Adam Drewnowski, PI
- Jennifer Otten, PI
- Sarah Collier, Co-Investigator
- Laura Lewis, Co-Investigator, Washington State University
- Brinda Sivaramakrishnan, Co-Investigator, Tacoma Community College
- James Buszkiewicz, Doctoral Candidate
- Chelsea Rose, Research Coordinator
- Alan Ismach, Research Coordinator
- Esther Nguyen, Research Assistant
Project Period
May 1, 2020 – present
Project Status
Active
Project Contact
Jennifer Otten, jotten@uw.edu
- Food Insecurity Prevalence Across Diverse Sites During COVID-19: A Year of Comprehensive Data (PDF) – 18 Study Sites Reveal Remarkably Similar Trends in Food Insecurity Since COVID-19 Pandemic. National Food Access and COVID Research Team. March 2021.
- Resiliency of food systems during COVID-19
- Studies show how the pandemic pushed the food system to the brink
- WAFOOD food security survey now open to WA residents
- For many King County families, food aid ‘not nearly enough’ as need spikes in pandemic
- Reliance on food assistance programs on the rise in Washington State
- How the UW food pantry has adapted to rising food insecurity in the state
- WAFOOD survey receives support from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation
- Allen Family Foundation boosts COVID-19-related funding for hard-hit areas in Washington State
- New COVID-19 Grants to Boost Efforts Toward Economic and Social Relief
- The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation Continues Support for Vulnerable Communities During COVID-19
- Washington researchers start second round of food security surveys amid coronavirus pandemic
- Need for free food in Washington state has doubled, many groups report, as COVID-19 rips away jobs and security
- Going hungry in the pandemic
- Round 2 of Washington study underway to determine food, economic insecurity during pandemic
- Nearly one-third of Washington households not getting enough food since start of pandemic: study
- Food insecurity in Washington State highest among low-income groups and persons of color
- Food insecurity rates have more than doubled since start of COVID-19 pandemic
- Statewide survey could map how COVID-19 is affecting food security, economics
- Study asks Washington state residents to describe food security and access during pandemic, economic downturn
- New study to evaluate COVID-19 impacts on Washington State food security
- Initiative announces award of 21 COVID-19 rapid response grants