The effect of nutritional supplements on food intake in patients undergoing radiotherapy

Abstract

Purpose/objectives: To describe the effect of nutritional supplements on food intake in patients undergoing radiotherapy.

Design: Experimental prospective.

Sample: 40 newly diagnosed patients with cancer beginning external beam radiation therapy.

Methods: Weekly dietary counseling and recording of total daily dietary intake for three days a week for four weeks. One half of the subjects were randomly assigned to ingest a liquid nutritional supplement between meals and at bedtime.

Main research variables: Total daily protein and caloric intake, food-derived protein and caloric intake, and supplement-derived protein and caloric intake.

Findings: Subjects ingesting nutritional supplements between meals significantly increased their total caloric and protein intake above that of controls and did not reduce their food-derived caloric or protein intake compared to controls.

Conclusions: Nutritional supplements can be used to increase total caloric and protein intake without causing a significant reduction in food intake.

Implications for nursing practice: In this patient sample, supplements were not substituted for food intake. Further research is needed to determine the effects of supplements on appetite in patients with advanced cancer.