Dr Lisa Te Morenga, an Edgar Diabetes and Obesity Research Centre member based at the Victoria University of Wellington, is involved in a world-wide survey on how cooking and eating habits have changed during COVID-19.
The COVID Kai survey is the New Zealand arm of the project, and is being led by Dr Sarah Gerritsen at the University of Auckland. The study spans at least 30 countries and was initiated by researchers at the University of Antwerp in Belgium.
Dr Te Morenga says the impact of restaurant closures and the unavailability of some food items during Alert Levels 3 and 4 will have had a varying impact across the community.
"For some whānau lockdown has been an opportunity to learn new cooking skills and enjoy time eating together, but it has been highly stressful for people out of work, struggling to pay the bills, and finding affordable basics are unavailable at the supermarket," she says.
The COVID Kai Survey began collecting responses in Alert Level 4 and continues throughout Alert Level 3 over the coming fortnight.
One dollar for every completed survey will be donated to The Foodbank Project, a collaboration between the Salvation Army and Countdown.
Take the survey
Complete the COVID Kai survey online. You need to be 18 years or older and it will take approximately 30 minutes to answer the questions.
Read more about the COVID Kai survey
COVID Kai research explores how cooking, shopping, and eating has changed during lockdown, Victoria University of Wellington website, 29 April, 2020
