Researchers of a new study have uncovered evidence that directly links chronic illness to food insecurity
According to The United Nation's World Food Programme, food insecurity has been defined as inaccessibility to food of proper quality and in adequate quality. Often, food insecurities have been linked to low-income groups, in households reliant on social assistance, reporting Aboriginal status, renting rather than owning their dwelling, and lone-parent female-led.
Researchers of a new study now found that food insecurity can also be linked to people with chronic illnesses. According to the researchers, financial constraints may be the reason behind this.
For the study, researchers from the University of Toronto used Statistics Canada data to see how a person's health status affects a household's food security status. Researchers found that people with chronic illnesses like migraines, arthritis, back problems, heart problems and diabetes were more likely to live in food insecure households.
Researchers found financial constraints to be the main reason for this. These financial constraints occur for two reasons. The first reason is because the individual has to spend a lot on medication and treatments and secondly because the individual is not in a state to shop around properly looking for good deals and bargaining with shopkeepers.
A previous study involving researchers from Simon Fraser University found evidence that suggests that injection drug users living with HIV/AIDS and with food insecurity are at a higher risk of death than injection drug users living with HIV/AIDS who have access to adequate food.
