Impact of loneliness on dietary habits of individuals with or without cancer history

Introduction Loneliness is a widespread health concern that affects health behaviors, lifestyle, physical health, psychological well-being, and overall quality of life of individuals. Limited literature exists about how loneliness impacts healthy dietary habits among individuals with and without a cancer history. Hence, the purpose of our study is to investigate the association between self-reported loneliness and daily dietary consumption habits. Method Secondary analysis of the cross-sectional data collected via the Health Information National Trends Survey-HINTS-7 (2024), comprising US adults with or without a cancer history. Final analysis includes 5,597 individuals with (n=844) and without (n=4,753) cancer history. The predictor was loneliness, measured with four items on a 5-point scale, with a total score ranging from 4 to 20 (Never=4, Mild=5-8, Moderate=9-12, Severe=13- 20). The outcome variables were the amounts of daily fruit and vegetable consumption (<2 or≥2 cups per day). Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were conducted using statistical software STATA. Results Among cancer survivors, the majority were white (75.4%), male (55.7%), aged ≥75 years (32.16%), and college-educated (79.4%). Of those without a history of cancer, 60.7% were white, 51.4% were male, 5.0% were aged ≥75 years, and 73.6% were college educated. About 37% of cancer survivors and 35% of those without cancer reported obesity. Among cancer survivors, 30.8% reported consuming ≥2 cups of vegetables and 23.6% consuming ≥2 cups of fruits per day. Among individuals without a history of cancer, 27.5% reported consuming ≥2 cups of vegetables and 19.4% consuming ≥2 cups of fruits per day. More than 62% cancer survivors suffer from some degree of loneliness, including 10.7% reporting severe loneliness. Among those without cancer, 64.8% reported loneliness, including 13.7% stating severe loneliness. In the regression model, a one-unit increase in loneliness score is associated with 3% lower odds of consuming vegetables (OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.95-0.99, p = 0.007). There was no statistically significant association between loneliness and fruit intake (OR=0.98, 95% CI 0.95-1.02, p=0.271). After incorporating the interaction term into the model, we found that the relationship between loneliness and vegetable or fruit intake does not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusion Loneliness impacts vegetable consumption, highlighting the importance of screening for loneliness, regardless of oncologic status, to maintain a healthy dietary intake.