Newsroom

COVID-19 illustrates how a lack of food access impacts mental health

COVID-19 has disrupted life for every Minnesotan. But for certain communities, the pandemic’s reach has been far greater – particularly for Black, Indigenous, communities of color and low-income communities who were already experiencing health disparities.

The Center for Prevention recently released poll results that laid out some of the inequities experienced by these communities, particularly when it comes to food security and mental health.

For instance, nearly one-third of Minnesotans expressed concern about accessing affordable, healthy food. Within that group, forty percent said their food and eating habits are less healthy than before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We all feel the toll of COVID-19, but it is particularly alarming to see how the pandemic is exacerbating existing health inequities and impacting so many Minnesotans’ access to healthy and affordable foods,” said Dr. Mark Steffen, MD, MPH, vice president and chief medical officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. “Unless we immediately address rampant food insecurity, the effects of COVID-19 will be felt long after physical distancing guidelines are lifted.”

Food security and mental health are intertwined

Half of the poll respondents who said they lack access to healthy, affordable food said that stress is the greatest contributing factor to unhealthy eating, illustrating the strong tie between food security and mental health.

Another finding that highlights this connection: 42% of respondents who said they lack access to healthy, affordable food also said that the pandemic has strongly impacted their mental health, ranking it as the area most impacted by COVID-19 — above even financial concerns or their physical health.

Compare that to respondents who say they have reliable access to healthy affordable food. In that group, only 8% said the pandemic has had a strong impact on mental health — underscoring the strong correlation between mental health and food insecurity.

How to help

A significant portion of Minnesotans use local food shelves and community programs to meet their needs, so regularly donating to organizations like Second Harvest Heartland, The Food Group and Hunger Solutions can help those facing food insecurity and provide emergency support to families during these unprecedented times.

“Donations to local food banks are essential in the short term,” Steffen said. “It is a tangible action that people can take and doing so will continue to support those in our communities who are most vulnerable and impacted by this crisis. But when the pandemic subsides, dramatic steps must be taken to address the vast health inequities in our state that are being laid bare by this current crisis.”