Chronic illness can lead to "food insecurity".

Households in which adults have chronic illnesses are more likely to struggle to put food on the table, according to researchers who analyzed survey data collected from more than 77,000 people (Journal of Nutrition, November 2013). Previous studies have shown that "food insecurity"--when people do not have access to enough food for an active, healthy life--is linked to poorer self-rated health and several chronic health conditions. In this study, chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, arthritis, migraine, back problems, heart disease, and mental illness, increased the odds of food insecurity regardless of socio-demographic characteristics. Adequate nutrition is crucial to your body, especially if it is combating an illness; if an illness makes it difficult to shop for and prepare food, enlist the help of family, friends, or a community organization to ensure that you get the nutrition you need.