PD350 - EXPLORING ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN FOOD INSECURITY, GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOM BURDEN, AND CHRONIC COMORBIDITIES

PD350

EXPLORING ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN FOOD INSECURITY, GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOM BURDEN, AND CHRONIC COMORBIDITIES

K. Al-Muhanna^1,2,*, D. Goldman³, H. Rhoades³, A. Darragh⁴, K. M. Roberts^3,5, S. Chakraborty⁵, J. A. Garner⁶

¹Department of Clinical Nutrition, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, ²King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, ³Division of Medical Dietetics, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, ⁴College of Health Professions, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, ⁵Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, ⁶Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

Rationale: Food insecurity (FI) may influence gastrointestinal (GI) disease outcomes through interactions with common comorbidities. This exploratory study examined associations between FI risk, GI symptom burden, diabetes mellitus (DM), and psychological stress.

Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, initial visit data were extracted from electronic medical records of 360 patients seen at a specialized GI motility clinic in 2022. Data included demographics, DM diagnosis, clinically-relevant GI symptoms assessed via the Rome IV Diagnostic Questionnaire, and responses to the Hunger Vital Sign and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Only patients with DM and instrument data from the initial encounter were included. Binary logistic regression evaluated associations between comorbidities and GI symptom burden, adjusting for FI risk.

Results: The sample (n=190) was predominantly white (82%), female (67%), median age 47 (IQR: 27). FI risk was present in 14% (n=26). DM affected 19% (n=36), of whom 86% (n=31) had type 2 DM and 20% (n=7) had FI risk. Median HbA1c: 8.1% (IQR: 3.25). Elevated psychological stress (EPS; PSS >20) was observed in 30% (n=48) and was associated with FI risk (p=0.026); 23% (n=11) of those had FI risk. DM was associated with greater esophageal symptom burden (OR: 3.31; 95% CI: 1.24–8.78; p=0.016) and gastroduodenal symptom burden (OR: 5.51; 95% CI: 1.87–16.20; p=0.002); both remained significant after adjusting for FI risk (esophageal: OR: 3.31; p=0.017; gastroduodenal: OR: 6.22; p=0.002). EPS was associated with greater esophageal (OR: 4.17; 95% CI: 1.63–10.67; p=0.003) and gastroduodenal symptom burden (OR: 3.05; 95% CI: 1.21–7.67; p=0.018); only esophageal symptoms remained significant after adjusting for FI risk (OR: 3.62; p=0.009).

Conclusion: DM and psychological stress were associated with greater GI symptom burden, with FI risk potentially influencing these relationships.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared