Food insecurity, the limited availability of nutritionally adequate food, is a growing public health concern in the United States. Over 35 million Americans experience food insecurity annually, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). These numbers are estimated to have risen dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic as economic hardship has caused more Americans to lose access to an affordable, nutritious diet.

A new study by Keck Medicine of USC found that food insecurity can be deadly for patients with either nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a buildup of extra fat in the liver that is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the U.S., or advanced liver disease, a condition characterized by inflammation and scarring of the liver.

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