Poster Presentation 2025 Joint Meeting of the COSA ASM and IPOS Congress

How many cancer patients are experiencing food insecurity? A Victorian perspective (126143)

Kate Graham 1 , Belinda Steer 1 2 , Sandra Picken 3 , Nicole Kiss 4 , Rebecca Lindberg 2 4 , Jenelle Loeliger 1 2 4 5
  1. Nutrition and Speech Pathology Department, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne
  2. School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Melbourne
  3. Western & Central Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service, Melbourne
  4. Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Geelong
  5. The Sir Peter MacCallum Cancer Department of Oncology, Melbourne

Background: Food security is defined as having physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious foods to meet dietary needs and preferences for an active and healthy life. When these conditions are not met, food insecurity results. In the context of a cancer diagnosis and the associated risk of malnutrition, food insecurity is an important but under recognised issue with little available data within this population in Australia. As maintaining adequate nutrition is critical to prevent and treat malnutrition, it is important to understand the level of food insecurity experienced by oncology patients. The aim of this study was to assess the food security status of patients with cancer in Victoria.

Methods: A multi-site point prevalence study was conducted in Victorian acute health services in July 2024. Adults receiving ambulatory treatment and multi-day stay inpatients were included. Patients were assessed for malnutrition and food security status determined using the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module for Adults.

Impact: Twenty-four health services recruited 2121 adult oncology patients. Overall food insecurity measured as 6.9%, with the majority experiencing marginal food insecurity (4%). There was little difference in food security status between admitted and ambulatory patients, and between metropolitan and regional/rural locations. Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) patients recorded higher rates of food insecurity (10.4%) compared to non-CALD patients (6.0%). Patients who were food insecure had a higher prevalence of malnutrition (37%) compared to those assessed as food secure (28%).

Discussion: This study represents, to our knowledge, the first measure of food security in an oncology population in Australia. These results are clinically important and indicate that to be able to effectively address malnutrition concerns food security must also be considered. Further exploration into strategies to improve the food security status and support the oncology population should be a priority.