RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: In spring 2020, governments across the UK put in place food box schemes to protect access to food for the population told to 'shield' from COVID-19 (i.e. not leave their house for any reason). This article explores the design, implementation and impact of food box schemes intended to regularly provide a week's worth of food for individuals who were shielding. DESIGN: Interviews and workshops with national and local stakeholders over summer 2020 to autumn 2021. SETTING: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. PARTICIPANTS: National and local government and NGO stakeholders involved in food response during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Local authorities played a crucial role, implementing and supplementing the national provision of food box schemes. Three key shortcomings of the schemes were identified: coverage, contents and accessibility. In England and Wales, the scheme only provided food for shielding individuals, not their household members. Across the schemes, box contents were criticised for not containing sufficient amounts of fresh or healthy food and for not being able to meet individual dietary requirements. They were also inaccessible for people who required support with lifting or preparing food. CONCLUSIONS: The inadequacy of shielding food box schemes may have undermined people's ability to shield during the first UK lockdown. The COVID-19 pandemic required rapidly implemented policy responses, but these findings underscore the importance of universal provision and nutrition, physical accessibility and cultural food needs when formulating public health nutrition interventions.
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COVID-19 , Humanos , COVID-19/epidemiología , COVID-19/prevención & control , Pandemias , Control de Enfermedades Transmisibles , Reino Unido/epidemiología , Gobierno LocalRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the nutritional content and quality of food parcels distributed in Lebanon and assess their adherence to dietary guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic and an unprecedented economic crisis. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study (June-July 2020); phone survey (thirty items). SETTING: Lebanon. PARTICIPANTS: Food parcel providers (FPP; n 72) involved in food parcel distribution (FPD), mainly to Lebanese households. RESULTS: FPP included international non-governmental organizations (INGO) (n 3), local non-governmental organizations (n 45) and personal initiatives (n 24). Overall, low adherence to the World Food Programme (WFP) food parcel guidelines were observed among FPP for specific food items, including vegetables, fish, legumes and cereals, whereas salt content significantly surpassed the guidelines (all P-values <0·001). On average, a food parcel provided 608·4 ± 55 kcal/d/person. The greatest contributors to total energy intake (TE) in the food parcel were carbohydrates (46·4 %) and fats (46·8 %), while protein contributed to 7 %TE. In addition, %TE from fats and sugars significantly surpassed the dietary reference intakes (DRI) for a single person per d (134-234 % and 185 % of DRI, respectively, P-values <0·001). Only 10-15 % of daily needs for key micronutrients, including Fe, Zn, thiamin, riboflavin and dietary folate, were met through the food parcels. Adequate food safety and hygiene practices were reported among FPP, yet dramatic changes in food costs due to overlapping crises affected the quality and quantity of food in parcels. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the need to improve the nutritional content of food parcels and adherence to dietary guidelines to alleviate food and nutrition insecurity while preventing diet-related diseases among vulnerable beneficiaries in Lebanon.
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COVID-19 , Pandemias , Humanos , Estudios Transversales , COVID-19/epidemiología , Dieta , Estado Nutricional , VerdurasRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Research indicates that food parcels provided by food banks are nutritionally poor. Food insecurity and the use of food banks are both rising, with detrimental effects on the dietary intake and health of users. This mixed-method systematic review aims to investigate the current nutritional adequacy of pre-packaged food parcels and whether using food banks reduces the food insecurity and improves the dietary intake of their users. METHODS: A mixed-method systematic literature review, restricted to articles published from 2015, was conducted using eight electronic databases, four grey literature databases and eight relevant websites. Quantitative findings, investigating the nutritional quality of food parcels and/or their impact on dietary intake or food insecurity, were presented narratively. Qualitative findings reporting the views of food bank users regarding food from food banks underwent thematic synthesis. These independent syntheses were integrated using configurative analysis and presented narratively. RESULTS: Of 2189 articles, 11 quantitative and 10 qualitative were included. Food parcels were inconsistent at meeting nutritional requirements and often failed to meet individual needs, including cultural and health preferences. Using food banks improved food security and dietary quality of users, allowing otherwise unachievable access to food. However, food insecurity remained, and is explained by limited food variety, quality and choice. The mixed-method findings support interventions to ensure consistent, adequate nutrition at food banks, including catering for individual needs. CONCLUSIONS: Food banks are a lifeline for those severely food insecure. However when used alone, food banks struggle to eliminate the heightened food insecurity of their users. Efforts to improve the nutritional quality of food parcels could improve the experiences and diet-related outcomes of those requiring food banks.
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Asistencia Alimentaria , Humanos , Países Desarrollados , Valor Nutritivo , Inseguridad Alimentaria , Alimentos , Abastecimiento de AlimentosRESUMEN
The study aim was to investigate the role of foodbanks in the context of food insecurity and explore food choices and eating behaviours amongst users. Food insecurity is associated with poor diet quality and obesity; however, the dimensions that influence food choices and eating behaviour remain unclear. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with individuals who had visited a faith-based foodbank in Perth, Western Australia. Participants were thirty-three service users who had collected a food hamper from the foodbank. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four main themes emerged: Ties you over until pay day; Food hamper supporting meals and fruit and vegetable consumption; Food choices supplementing hamper; Household gatekeeping and food control. Participants were complimentary about the content of the food hamper received which included a variety of fresh produce. A key new finding was the frequent purchase and consumption of meat and processed meat to supplement the food hamper provision. Future work and interventions to improve eating behaviour and reduce food-related financial pressure for those vulnerable to food insecurity include further exploration of the dimensions influencing food choices (i.e., cultural norms, habits, symbols); exposure to healthy and tasty plant-based meals, (i.e., tasting low-cost and tasty vegetable-based meals); parenting training focused on handling child/partner food choice influences, and, enforcing household rules governing food.
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Inseguridad Alimentaria , Abastecimiento de Alimentos , Niño , Conducta Alimentaria , Humanos , Verduras , Australia OccidentalRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To gain insight in Dutch food bank recipients' perception on the content of the food parcels, their dietary intake and how the parcels contribute to their overall dietary intake. DESIGN: Eleven semi-structured focus group discussions were conducted. Focus group topics were based on Andersons food insecurity definition: the lack of availability of nutritionally adequate foods and the assured ability to acquire foods in socially acceptable ways. Data were coded and analysed with Atlas.ti 7.0 software, using the framework approach. SETTING: Seven food banks throughout the Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 44 Dutch food bank recipients. RESULTS: Food bank recipients were not always satisfied with the amount, quality, variation and type of foods in the food parcel. For the participants who could afford to, supplementing the food parcel was reported as main reason for buying foods, and price was the most important aspect in selecting these foods. Participants were not satisfied with their dietary intake; they mainly reported not having enough to eat. The content of the food parcel importantly influenced participants' overall dietary intake. Finally, participants reported struggling with their feelings of dissatisfaction, while also being grateful for the foods they receive. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that, despite their best efforts, food banks are not meeting food bank recipients' needs. Our results provide valuable directions for improving the content of the food parcels by increasing the quantity, quality and variation in the foods supplied. Whether this also improves the dietary intake of recipients needs to be determined.