Inseguridad alimentaria y hábitos alimentarios durante la pandemia COVID-19 en hogares chilenos.

Resumen

Background: The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has caused intense changes in lifestyles, food, and nutrition habits. Aim: To analyze food insecurity and eating habits during the period of quarantine in a group of Chilean individuals. Material and methods: An online survey was conducted in 2767 households with questions about the sociodemographic composition of the household, household food purchasing habits in the quarantine period for COVID-19, and perception of food insecurity. Results. More than 60% of households (p < 0.01) are worried about not having enough food, especially when children under 18 years of age live in them. This perception increases in urban households (p < 0.01) and those located in the Central-Southern and Southern regions (p < 0.01). During the pandemic, the consumption of healthy products such as milk increased in 50% of households, legumes in 72%, eggs in 79%, fruits in 54%, vegetables in 67% and water in 81 %. There was also a lower consumption of unhealthy and ultra-processed foods such as hot-dogs in 90% of households, sausages in 73%, sugary drinks in 79% and ice cream in 83%. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic in Chile increased the perception of food insecurity in households with vulnerable conditions. However, the consumption of healthier foods increased.