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Women’s perceptions about changes in food-related behaviours at home during COVID-19 pandemic in Chile

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 June 2021

María-Fernanda Jara
Affiliation:
Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), Universidad de Chile, El Líbano, Macul, Chile
Barbara Leyton
Affiliation:
Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), Universidad de Chile, El Líbano, Macul, Chile
Carla Cuevas
Affiliation:
Proyecto Fondecyt, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Chile
Patricia Gálvez Espinoza*
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, College of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Independencia 1027, Independencia, Santiago, Chile
*
*Corresponding author: Email pagalvez@uchile.cl
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Abstract

Objective:

To explore women’s perceptions of changes in specific food habits at home, specifically the food budget and shopping, and food preparation, during the COVID-19 period.

Design:

Non-probabilistic, exploratory study. Participants completed an online self-administered questionnaire. Perceptions of food habit changes were measured on a five-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree). Data analysis was conducted in STATA v16.0.

Setting:

Chile.

Participants:

Adult women between 25 and 65 years old (n 2047).

Results:

Of the participants, 72 % were responsible for cooking, 69 % for buying food and 85 % for child care. Difficulties in organising and doing food budget works were observed in groups with a lower educational level, lower income and single mothers with children. Younger participants, dependent workers, women from biparental families with children and those in mandatory quarantine perceived more changes in their food shopping and budget management tasks. Participants more educated, with higher income and non-mandatory quarantine perceived to cook and eat healthier. Older participants perceived minor changes in their food preparation tasks at home; in contrast, more educated women and women from biparental families with children perceived more changes. If women were in charge of the kids or grocery shopping, more food environment changes were noticed.

Conclusions:

Women perceived changes in their food environments. Some of these changes are perceived worse in the more vulnerable population. COVID-19 presents a challenge for the food system and gender perspectives. This information should be considered in the design of food-related interventions.

Information

Type
Research paper
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Nutrition Society
Figure 0

Table 1 Socio-demographic characteristics of participants (n 2047)

Figure 1

Table 2 Total score obtained in the food shopping and budget scale, and the food cooking and preparation scale by socio-economic variables (n 2047)

Figure 2

Table 3 Total score obtained in the food shopping and budget scale, and the food cooking and preparation scale by the housework tasks (n 2047)

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