Lack of access to affordable, nutritious food puts those with chronic liver disease at a higher risk of death

 

 https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/938168

 

 News Release 16-Dec-2021
For some patients, risk is nearly 50% higher than those with access to a heathy diet
Peer-Reviewed Publication
University of Southern California - Health Sciences

 

Food insecurity, the limited availability of nutritionally adequate food, is a growing public health concern in the United States. Over 35 million Americans experience food insecurity annually, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). These numbers are estimated to have risen dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic as economic hardship has caused more Americans to lose access to an affordable, nutritious diet.

A new study by Keck Medicine of USC found that food insecurity can be deadly for patients with either nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a buildup of extra fat in the liver that is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the U.S., or advanced liver disease, a condition characterized by inflammation and scarring of the liver.

The results showed that people living with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease who are food insecure have a 46% higher risk of death compared to individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease who are food secure.

For those with advanced liver disease who are food insecure, the risk of dying is 37% higher when compared to food-secure advanced liver disease patients.

Additionally, researchers estimated that 3% of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease deaths and 7% of advanced liver disease deaths could be eliminated if food insecurity was eradicated.

-----