Changes in food-related costs during the COVID-19 pandemic among families managing food allergy

Michael A Golding^{1

2}, Cathérine Lemoine-Courcelles^{1

2}, Elissa M Abrams^{1

2

3}, Moshe Ben-Shoshan⁴, Philippe Bégin⁵, Edmond S Chan^{3

6}, Derek K Chu^{7

8

9}, Jennifer D Gerdts¹⁰, Beatrice Povolo¹⁰, Harold Kim^{8

11}, Elinor Simons^{1

12}, Julia Upton¹³, Jennifer L P Protudjer^{1

2

14

15

16}

Affiliations

¹ The Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
² Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
³ Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
⁴ Division of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.
⁵ Division of Clinical Immunology, Rheumatology, and Allergy, Department of Pediatrics, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.
⁶ BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
⁷ Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
⁸ Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
⁹ The Research Institute of St. Joe's Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
¹⁰ Food Allergy Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹¹ Department of Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
¹² Section of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
¹³ Division of Immunology and Allergy, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹⁴ George and Fay Yee Center for Healthcare Innovation, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
¹⁵ Centre for Allergy Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
¹⁶ Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, The University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

PMID: 35910861
PMCID: PMC9334569
DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2022.915014

Changes in food-related costs during the COVID-19 pandemic among families managing food allergy

Michael A Golding et al. Front Allergy. 2022.

. 2022 Jul 15:3:915014.

doi: 10.3389/falgy.2022.915014. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ The Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
² Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
³ Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
⁴ Division of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.
⁵ Division of Clinical Immunology, Rheumatology, and Allergy, Department of Pediatrics, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.
⁶ BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
⁷ Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
⁸ Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
⁹ The Research Institute of St. Joe's Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
¹⁰ Food Allergy Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹¹ Department of Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
¹² Section of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
¹³ Division of Immunology and Allergy, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹⁴ George and Fay Yee Center for Healthcare Innovation, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
¹⁵ Centre for Allergy Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
¹⁶ Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, The University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

PMID: 35910861
PMCID: PMC9334569
DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2022.915014

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the supply, cost, and demand for certain foods, but it is not clear how these changes have affected food-allergic households.

Objective: To describe the changes in food-related costs that have followed COVID-19, as reported by higher- and lower-income households with a food-allergic member.

Methods: Between May 1-June 30, 2020, Canadian households, with at least one food-allergic member, completed an online survey on food shopping and preparation habits before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample was divided into binary groups, either higher or lower than the sample median income. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression.

Results: The sample was comprised of 102 participants (i.e., 51/ income group). The three most common food allergies amongst both groups were peanuts, tree nuts and milk. Since the start of the pandemic, both groups reported greater monthly direct grocery costs, although costs amongst the higher-income group were twice as high as the lower-income group ($212.86 vs. $98.89, respectively). Indirect food preparation costs were similarly elevated. Higher-income households with food procurement difficulties reported increased indirect shopping costs following the outbreak of COVID-19, whereas those without such difficulties reported decreased costs. Lower-income households with allergies to milk, wheat, or eggs (i.e., staple allergy) experienced a larger change in indirect food preparation costs following the outbreak of COVID-19 relative to those with other food allergies ($244.58 vs. -$20.28, respectively; p = 0.03).

Conclusion: Both higher and lower income households with food allergy reported greater direct food costs and indirect food preparation costs following the COVID-19. Households with staple allergy and those with difficulties finding their typical food items were particularly affected.

Keywords: COVID-19; cost of illness; food allergy; food-related costs; socio-economic status pandemic-related changes in allergy-friendly food purchasing 2.

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Conflict of interest statement

PB reports personal fees from Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi, ALK and Aralez, as well as grants from DBV technologies, Regeneron and Sanofi outside the submitted work. EC has received research support from DBV Technologies and has been a member of advisory boards for Pfizer, Pediapharm, Leo Pharma, Kaleo, DBV, AllerGenis, Sanofi Genzyme, Bausch Health, and Avir Pharma. HK has served on the following speakers' bureau and/or advisory boards: AstraZeneca, Aralez, Bausch Health, CSL Behring, GSK, Kaleo, Novartis, Pediapharm, Pfizer, Sanofi, Shire, and Takeda. JU reports research support/grants from Novartis, Regeneron, ALK, DBV, CIHR, and fees from AstraZeneca, Pfizer, ALK Abello, Bausch Health, Kaleo, Food Allergy Canada, all outside the submitted work. JP sits on the steering committee for Canada's National Food Allergy Action Plan and is Section Head, Allied Health, Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

References

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Changes in food-related costs during the COVID-19 pandemic among families managing food allergy

Affiliations

Changes in food-related costs during the COVID-19 pandemic among families managing food allergy

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

References

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources