Food insecurity is linked to a higher risk of death in surviving cancer

Lack of access to healthy foods is a threat to the lives of cancer survivors-a significant and often overlooked a factor that affects the long-term effects of their health. A new study shows that those who faced food insecurity had a 28 % relative increase in the risk of death compared to those who were safe food.

In the study recently published in Jama Health ForumResearchers from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine analyzed data from more than 5,000 respondents who shared their cancer diagnoses as part of a national health -funded health study.

Foods are important to the care and effects of cancer. The results show that simple, integrated solutions can help to extend the life of cancer survivors by helping to put healthy foods on their table. ”

Jaya Aysola MD, MPH, Senior Study Author, Associate Professor of Medicine and Executive Director of Health Centers in Penn Medicine

Treatment of the root causes

Food insecurity, estimated to affect about 40 million people only in the US, is the situation in which good nutrition is limited or uncertain availability. It is considered an important socio -economic factor in overall health and has been linked to higher risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, certain mental health, hypertension, kidney disease and colon cancer.

Researchers used data from US Audit and Disease Control Centers in 2011 and 2012 National Health Interviews (NHIS), as well as the US National Death Index by 2019.

A total of 579 (10.3%) of respondents reported food insecurity. This group had higher mortality than all causes-in comparison to the risk of death of 2019, compared to cancer survivors who did not report food insecurity. Following the adjustment of potentially related differences between respondents, such as gender, age, smoking condition and the presence of other diseases, remained a significant mortality gap between groups-the food safety group that had been estimated by 28 % increased risk of mortality of all causes.

Analyzes of respondents’ subsets have also shown that respondents reporting food insecurity and non -participation in government food aid programs had about 42 % increased risk of mortality of all causes and 42 % of increased risk of cancer mortality.

This is the first study of reviewing and finding a connection between food insecurity and mortality in people with cancer. “Food safety control in clinical practice, expanding the eligibility of the food aid program and guidance of people in resources can help reduce this apparent connection,” according to John Lin, a medical student and Heal (Health Promotion Laboratory).