## COVID-19 Impact: American Diets Healthier and Diverse, Study Reveals
American diets might have improved in quality and diversity after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent study led by Penn State researchers.
The study, which was published in *PLOS ONE*, showed that as states implemented measures such as school closures and lockdowns in response to the pandemic, there was a potential increase of up to 8.5% in diet quality and up to 2.6% in food diversity among citizens.
Edward Jaenicke, a co-author of the study and professor of agricultural economics, highlighted that the findings offer insight into how Americans’ dietary habits changed when restaurants and cafeterias were largely inaccessible.
Before the pandemic, the average American diet was generally considered unhealthy, with eating patterns falling below recommended guidelines. However, during the pandemic, with the closure of dine-in restaurants, diets became more diverse and healthier, indicating a positive shift.
The research team had initially been investigating how people would feed themselves in the aftermath of significant global catastrophes like asteroid strikes or nuclear wars. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a real-world scenario to study food consumption behavior during a crisis.
The researchers analyzed data from the NielsenIQ Homescan Consumer Panel, representing 41,570 households in the U.S., to compare grocery purchases before and after pandemic-related closures of schools and other establishments.
By examining households’ food purchasing habits before and after the pandemic, the researchers were able to establish a causal relationship between the pandemic-induced closures and changes in food diversity and quality.
The study found that in the months following the closures, there were slight increases in food diversity and more substantial but temporary improvements in diet quality. These changes were observed across households of various demographics, although households with young children, lower incomes, and lack of access to a car showed smaller improvements.
The closures of dine-in restaurants and other food establishments during the pandemic led to major disruptions in the food system since a significant portion of food expenses were typically spent on restaurant meals. This shift to home-cooked meals during the pandemic may have contributed to the observed increase in food diversity and healthfulness.
Various reasons were suggested for these changes, including a shift from less healthy restaurant meals to healthier home-cooked meals, increased health consciousness among consumers, and disruptions in the supply chain leading to the exploration of new, healthier food options.
The researchers recommended further studies to understand how different disasters impact food purchasing and eating habits. Co-authors of the study included Douglas Wrenn, an associate professor of environmental and resource economics, and Daniel Simandjuntak, a research associate. The research was supported by Open Philanthropy.