Food insecurity and its relationship to cancer related outcomes

Food insecurity (FI) is defined as the disruption of food intake or eating patterns due to a lack of money or other resources. About 1 in 8 Americans lived in food-insecure households in 2020, and the pandemic has increased FI among families with children and communities of color, who already faced hunger at higher rates. Population-based studies have suggested that cancer risk is higher among individuals living in food-insecure households, and there are currently no formal recommendations for FI screening in the oncological clinical setting. Although counterintuitive, FI is associated with obesity risk in women, which can be particularly problematic for patients with estrogen-driven cancers, such as endometrial cancer. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and correlates of food insecurity among a cross-sectional sample of gynecologic oncology patients. We hypothesized that patients who identify as Black or Hispanic, are uninsured/underinsured, or are obese at the time of initial treatment will report higher rates of FI.