The effect of nutritional supplements on food intake in patients undergoing radiotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the effect of nutritional supplements on food intake in patients undergoing radiotherapy.


METHODS
Experimental prospective.


METHODS
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.


METHODS
Total daily protein and caloric intake, food-derived protein and caloric intake, and supplement-derived protein and caloric intake.


RESULTS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
McCarthy
D
D
University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA.
Weihofen
D
D
D000328:Adult; D004032:Diet; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004435:Eating; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D011446:Prospective Studies
D004044:Dietary Proteins