COVID-19 harms health and income generation activities. The pandemic caused poverty, and food crisis in the most vulnerable and underprivileged segments. Economic turbulence and massive poverty during epidemic period probably resulted in short-term food insecurity and low food consumption. Based on these concerns, the current study examined how COVID-19 has impacted Pakistan's cost of purchasing food. The study surveyed total 1067 Punjab and Sindh residents in Pakistan, from July to October 2021. A structural equation model was used to examine the interrelationship among food intake, food purchasing cost, and health effects. We investigated whether people experienced substantial effects from the loss of a source of income, work hours, debt burden, and food inflation on their food intake. These circumstances all negatively affected food intake, reducing food consumption. Besides COVID-19's effects on direct income, 41% more people fall into poverty and 23% can't afford healthy food. People's socioeconomic circumstances affects poverty levels and affordable healthy food costs. The cost of purchasing food is significantly correlated with health outcomes. A significant and positive correlation between COVID-19 and income effects, and a negative correlation between food consumption and adverse income effects was explored. In addition, people increased their demand for food assistance during COVID-19 to mitigate negative income shocks. People who cannot afford minimal food costs should be offered food through mobile vehicles or delivery channels in the short term. Cash transfers or subsidies could also be provided to the needy during crisis time.
Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; Dietary diversity; Food cost; Healthy diets; Income effect; Poverty.
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