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

TL;DR

This study found that food sufficiency improved in urban Korean adults during the pandemic, but not in rural areas, highlighting the need for targeted food policies in rural regions.

Contribution

The study reveals urban-rural disparities in food sufficiency changes during the pandemic and suggests the need for region-specific food policies.

Findings

Food sufficiency improved significantly in urban areas during the pandemic.

Rural food sufficiency improved only among females, but not overall.

No significant interaction was found between region and socio-demographic factors in food sufficiency changes.

Abstract

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.

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).

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.

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.

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