• Elizabeth L Adams, Laura J Caccavale, Danyel Smith, and Melanie K Bean.
• Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
• Obesity (Silver Spring). 2020 Nov 1; 28 (11): 2056-2063.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to describe changes in families' home food environment and parent feeding practices, from before to during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and examine whether changes differed by food security status.MethodsParents (N = 584) in the US completed a single online survey, reporting on food security, home food availability, and feeding practices both retrospectively (considering before COVID-19) and currently (during COVID-19). χ2 and univariate regressions examined associations by food security status.ResultsThe percent of families reporting very low food security increased by 20% from before to during COVID-19 (P < 0.01). About one-third of families increased the amount of high-calorie snack foods, desserts/sweets, and fresh foods in their home; 47% increased nonperishable processed foods. Concern about child overweight increased during COVID-19, with a greater increase for food-insecure versus food-secure parents (P < 0.01). Use of restriction, pressure to eat, and monitoring increased, with a greater increase in pressure to eat for parents with food insecurity compared with food-secure parents (P < 0.05).ConclusionsDuring COVID-19, increases in very low food security and changes in the home food environment and parent feeding practices were observed. Results highlight the need to address negative impacts of COVID-19 on children's obesity risk, particularly among those facing health disparities.© 2020 The Obesity Society.

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