Publication Date
6-17-2026
Abstract
This study examines how COVID-19 lockdown shaped household food practices and contributed to food dysregulation, defined as anxiety, stress, indecisiveness or impulsivity surrounding diet. We conducted a mixed-methods community survey of Newport News, Virginia (n ≈ 400), administered shortly after the March–May 2020 lockdown. Open-ended responses revealed widespread disruption of food routines, with participants describing heightened anxiety about shopping, increased meal planning, stress-related snacking, and difficulties maintaining healthy diets. These qualitative themes were systematically mapped to survey items, yielding a composite Food Dysregulation Index and predictors spanning life circumstances, income strain, and food-related behaviors. Regression analyses showed that meal planning multiple days in advance was positively associated with dysregulation, while gardening predicted lower dysregulation. Worrying that food would run out before having money to buy more also elevated dysregulation, though this effect weakened after accounting for behavioral adaptations. Stockpiling and delivery practices, though prominent in qualitative accounts, were not statistically significant predictors. Findings suggest that food dysregulation during times of crisis arises not only from material insecurity, but also from the ways households translate risk and uncertainty into coping practices. These insights highlight both vulnerabilities and protective strategies for supporting food-related well-being during collective disruptions.