Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to explore snacking behavior and perspectives on healthy and unhealthy food choices among adolescents in mainland China. Design/methodology/approach-Four focus-group interviews were conducted. Altogether 24 participants were recruited in Changsha, a second-tier city in China, through a convenience sampling process. They were asked to report their snacking behaviors, identify whether certain snacks are healthy or unhealthy, and elaborate on factors affecting food choices. Findings-Snacking was prevalent among the participants. The most frequently consumed snacks included fruit, milk, and instant noodles. Participants' evaluations for the healthiness of foods were based on the actual nutritional values of those foods, the effects on growth and body weight, and word-of-mouth. Choice of snack was driven mainly by taste, image, convenience, and health consciousness. Research limitations/implications-The finding was based on a non-probability sample. The study also did not explore the contexts where snacks were consumed. Originality/value-This is the first study on snacking behaviors among adolescents conducted in a second-tier city in China using focus group methodology.

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Aim The economic depression and reduced physical mobility associated with COVID‐19 potentially affected the food security status of the poor. This study aimed to assess the possible worsening of perceived food insecurity among low‐income families in Hong Kong. Methods Families either receiving government subsidies or living in a subdivided flat referred by local non‐governmental organisations were invited to participate in a telephone survey. Food security status before (by recalling) and during the pandemic were assessed using Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. Chi‐square analysis and ANOVA were used to test the difference between the percentage of participants who responded affirmatively to survey questions and various categories of food insecurity. Paired t‐test was used to examine the reported change in food insecurity score before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Association between socio‐demographic factors and change in food insecurity score was then assessed by multiple linear regression using backward stepwise elimination. Results Findings from the 212 households revealed that, for all nine questions concerning food insecurity, there was a significantly higher percentage of affirmative responses during versus before the pandemic. The proportion of food‐secure households dropped from 16.5% to 7.1% amidst the pandemic. By contrast, households with severe food insecurity increased from 19.3% to 33.5%. Regression analysis showed that those households who were living in subdivided flats and with high monthly housing expenses, were likely to experience an exacerbation of food insecurity. Meanwhile, households with divorced parents (probably due to consistent social subsidy) and high household incomes, showed resilience toward food insecurity. Concurrently, about one fifth of children in these households had an experience of starvation for a whole day due to financial constraints. Conclusion The exacerbation of food insecurity among low‐income families during the COVID‐19 pandemic necessitates timely assessments and the implementation of appropriate measures to prevent them from experiencing physiological harm. These initiatives can be guided by the identified at‐risk socio‐economic characteristics in the present study.

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