Cancer survivors often have poor diets, which can affect their long-term health

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-10/w-cso100715.php

Public Release: 13-Oct-2015
Cancer survivors often have poor diets, which can affect their long-term health
Wiley

While most cancer survivors in the United States are motivated to seek information about food choices and dietary changes to improve their health, a new study comparing their dietary patterns to federal guidelines indicates that they often fall short. Published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the findings point to the need for dietary interventions in this vulnerable population.

Cancer survivors have significantly elevated risks of a variety of health problems, and nutrition is among the few modifiable behaviors that can prevent or delay their onset.

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Among the major findings:

Cancer survivors had poor adherence to the guidelines, with a total Healthy Eating Index score of 47.2 out of 100 compared with a score of 48.3 in adults without a history of cancer. Their adherence was especially poor concerning recommended intake for green vegetables and whole grains.

Compared with individuals with no history of cancer, cancer survivors consumed less fiber and more empty calories, such as those from solid fats or added sugars.

Cancer survivors had low dietary intakes of vitamin D (31 percent of the recommended intake), vitamin E (47 percent), potassium (55 percent), and calcium (73 percent), but high intakes of saturated fat (112 percent) and sodium (133 percent).

Diet quality in cancer survivors increased linearly with age: the older the age, the better the diet quality.

Survivors with lower education (high school or less) had significantly worse diet quality than those with higher education.

Survivors who were current smokers had significantly worse diet quality than non-smokers or former smokers.

For the four major cancer types in the United States (breast, prostate, lung, and colon and rectal), breast cancer survivors had the best diet quality whereas lung cancer survivors had the worst diet quality.

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