Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33842868›Full record

ArticleEClinicalMedicine2021

The relationship between austerity and food insecurity in the UK: A systematic review.

Rosemary H Jenkins, Shirin Aliabadi, Eszter P Vamos, David Taylor-Robinson, Sophie Wickham, Christopher Millett, Anthony A Laverty

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in EClinicalMedicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
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  9. Food insecurity in children and young people in Scotland.The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society · 2024
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Rosemary H JenkinsPublic Health Policy Evaluation Unit, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Charing Cross Campus; The Reynolds Building; St Dunstan's Road; London W6 8RP, UK.
Shirin AliabadiGlobal Digital Health Unit, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Eszter P VamosPublic Health Policy Evaluation Unit, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Charing Cross Campus; The Reynolds Building; St Dunstan's Road; London W6 8RP, UK.
David Taylor-RobinsonDepartment of Public Health, Policy and Systems, Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Sophie WickhamDepartment of Public Health, Policy and Systems, Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Christopher MillettPublic Health Policy Evaluation Unit, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Charing Cross Campus; The Reynolds Building; St Dunstan's Road; London W6 8RP, UK.
Anthony A LavertyPublic Health Policy Evaluation Unit, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Charing Cross Campus; The Reynolds Building; St Dunstan's Road; London W6 8RP, UK.

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/P008577/1Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn 2010, the UK government implemented austerity measures, involving reductions to public spending and welfare reform. We aimed to systematically review the relationship of austerity policies with food insecurity including foodbank use in the UK.

methodsWe undertook a narrative systematic review (CRD42020164508) and searched seven databases, grey literature, and reference lists through September 2020. Studies with austerity policies (including welfare reform) as exposure and food insecurity (including foodbank use as a proxy) as study outcome were included. We included quantitative longitudinal and cross-sectional studies. Two reviewers assessed eligibility, extracted data directly from studies, and undertook quality assessment.

findingsEight studies were included: two individual-level studies totalling 4129 participants and six ecological studies. All suggested a relationship between austerity and increased food insecurity. Two studies found that austerity policies were associated with increased food insecurity in European countries including the UK. Six studies found that the welfare reform aspect of UK austerity policies was associated with increased food insecurity and foodbank use. Sanctions involving delays to benefits as a response to a claimant not actively seeking work may increase food insecurity, with studies finding that increases of 100 sanctions per 100,000 people may have led to increases of between 2 and 36 food parcels per 100,000 population.

interpretationUK austerity policies were consistently linked to food insecurity and foodbank use. Policymakers should consider impacts of austerity on food insecurity when considering how to reduce budget deficits.

fundingNIHR School for Public Health Research.

Indexed as

AusterityFood aidFoodbankFood insecurityHealth inequalitiesPublic healthWelfare reform

Identifiers

PMID33842868
PMCPMC8020142

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.