Dietary habits and intake of nutritional supplements in patients of outpatient cancer clinics

Peer-reviewed / Manuscript (original) received: June 04, 2019 / Revision accepted: September 02, 201

Introduction

Diet and nutritional status can have a significant effect on the development and disease course of cancer [1, 2]. Conversely, cancers can themselves cause changes in nutritional status, for example due to mechanical obstruction and cancer-related metabolic changes (e.g. inflammation, catabolic metabolic state) [2]. Patients with cancer often suffer from side effects caused by cancer treatment. These may include changes in the sense of taste, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea [2, 3].

A reduced nutritional status not only has a negative effect on the tolerability of cancer treatments and on survival time, but also impairs quality of life and the patient’s general capabilities [4, 5]. Therefore, adequate nutritional care is essential for patients with cancer and is a relevant factor in prognosis. In the guidelines of the German Society for Nutritional Medicine, the authors recommend a balanced, energy-rich and nutrient-rich diet for clinical nutrition in the oncological context [2]. In addition, specific recommendations regarding nutrition in the context of cancer have been developed by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) in cooperation with the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and these have also been recently updated [1].

Abstract

Background: Nutrition and nutritional status are of crucial importance in the context of cancer. There is almost no data available on dietary habits and use of nutritional supplements in patients with cancer in Germany. Therefore, the aim of this survey was to record dietary habits and use of nutritional supplements in patients of outpatient cancer clinics.
Method: Patients at 17 outpatient cancer clinics in southern Bavaria were surveyed using a standardized questionnaire. The patients were asked about their dietary habits, nutrition-related medical care and use of nutritional supplements in addition to their diagnoses, treatment and health status. The statistical evaluation was carried out using a descriptive approach.
Results: Data from a total of 765 people (60.9% women) was evaluated. The average age of the participants was 63 ± 13 years, and the average Body Mass Index (BMI) was 25.2 ± 5.1 kg/m2. Most of the participants (91.9%) reported that they followed a normal diet, but 9.2% reported that they placed some restrictions on the range of foods they consumed (e.g. no raw foods). Three people reported that they followed a classic cancer patient diet. About half of those surveyed (48.6%) reported taking nutritional supplements. The products most frequently used by these people were minerals (56.7%), vitamin preparations (52.4%) and “other” nutritional supplements (35.5%), for instance herbal remedies or homeopathic remedies such as globules. The use of nutritional supplements was most common in those with breast cancer (59.8%).
Conclusions: Only a few of the patients with cancer surveyed had any notable features in their dietary habits, but half of those surveyed took nutritional supplements. The results of this survey highlight the need for medical nutritional counseling as part of routine care for patients with oncological diseases.

Keywords: Dietary behavior, nutritional supplements, supplements, tumors, cancer

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