Socio‐Demographic and Disease Related Factors Associated with Diet Quality Among Adult Cancer Patients

Abstract

BackgroundRecent studies have shown the consumption of higher quality diets to be significantly associated with lower risk of cancer mortality (Onvani et al., 2016; George et al., 2014). However, characteristics predictive of higher diet quality have not been well elucidated among the cancer population. The study therefore aims to determine socio‐demographic as well as disease related predictors of diet quality among cancer patients.MethodsThis was a cross‐sectional study that recruited 100 cancer patients from two large cancer clinics in central Ohio. After providing consent, individuals 18 years and older completed questionnaires that assessed sociodemographic variables, disease characteristics, and diet quality. Food and beverages consumed in the previous 6 months were assessed using the Block food frequency questionnaire and used in computing diet quality scores; measured as Health Eating Index 2010 (HEI 2010). Independent sample t‐test and one‐way ANOVA were used to compare mean HEI scores across characteristics. Multiple linear regression was used to identify factors associated with HEI scores.ResultsAbout 84% of study participants were females and over half (51%) had a breast cancer diagnosis. The average HEI score was 65.24 (SD = 10.66). Females (M = 66.19, SD = 10.50) had significantly higher mean HEI scores than males (M = 60.23, SD = 10.34, p < 0.05). Individuals who paid bills late due to medical expenses reported significantly lower diet quality (M = 60.42, SD = 10.63) than those who did not (M = 66.76, SD = 10.27, p = 0.01). Education status significantly affected HEI scores (F (3, 95) = 3.937, p = 0.01). Individuals with less than high school education (M = 60.81, SD = 10.71) had significantly lower diet quality scores than did those with a college degree (M = 69.24, SD = 7.36). Gender, education status, monthly income, marital status, smoking status, and timeliness of bill payment were included in the linear regression model. This model explained 26.2% of the variance in HEI scores (R2 = 0.26, F (8, 86) = 3.816, p < 0.01). Smoking status (current smokers) significantly predicted HEI scores (β = −8.411, p = 0.05) as did having to pay bills late due to medical expenses for cancer treatment (β = −4.637, p = 0.05).ConclusionDiet quality is significantly lower in individuals who are current smokers or who have to pay bills late due to medical expenses from cancer treatment. These findings allow healthcare providers to identify patients at risk for consuming low diet quality and therefore in need of targeted interventions that helps improve diet quality. Improvements in diet quality have implications for mortality in this population.Support or Funding InformationFood Innovation Center New Faculty Initiative Award. The Ohio State University.