Economic shocks, food insufficiency and mental health: Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic
Millions of Americans experienced a sudden loss of income along with hunger early in the COVID-19 outbreak. Using Household Pulse Survey data from April 23, 2020 to March 29, 2021, the authors found that the pandemic significantly impacted both food sufficiency and mental health, with food insufficiency having a larger negative impact on mental health than income loss.
Authors: Yuxuan Pan, Linlin Fan, Stephan Goetz
Publication: Plos ONE Date Published: March 12, 2026