Dietary intake and childhood leukemia: The Diet and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treatment (DALLT) cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are at elevated risk for nutrition-related morbidity both during and after therapy. We present the demographic characteristics and nutrient intake at study entry of a prospective cohort in which evaluating dietary intake in children diagnosed with ALL was investigated.


METHODS
Dietary intake data were collected for participants enrolled on the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute ALL Consortium Protocol. Dietary intake was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire and was compared with the dietary reference intake by ALL risk group (standard and high risk).


RESULTS
Dietary intake data were collected from 81% of participants (n = 640). We found that 27% of participants were overweight/obese. Intake of total calories and other nutrients exceeded the dietary reference intake in up to 79% of children. This was evident in both risk groups and was pronounced among younger children. For micronutrients, dietary intake of calcium, vitamin D (females only), and zinc differed significantly between patients with standard-risk and those with high-risk ALL.


CONCLUSIONS
This study was successful in collecting dietary intake data at the time of cancer diagnosis in a multicenter setting in a pediatric population at high-risk for nutrition-related morbidity. We identified "at-risk" dietary intakes, which vary by sex and ALL risk group; such patients may benefit from future dietary interventions.
Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplant, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA; Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA. Electronic address: ejd14@cumc.columbia.edu.
Elena J
EJ
Ladas
Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplant, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.
Manuela
M
Orjuela
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Kristen
K
Stevenson
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
Peter D
PD
Cole
Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
Meiko
M
Lin
Division of Hematology/Oncology, McMaster Children's Hospital, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Uma H
UH
Athale
San Jorge Children's Hospital, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Luis A
LA
Clavell
Hematology-Oncology Division, Charles Bruneau Cancer Center, Sainte-Justine University Hospital, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Jean-Marie
JM
Leclerc
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Quebec, Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada.
Bruno
B
Michon
Inova Children's Hospital, Falls Church, Virginia, USA.
Marshall A
MA
Schorin
Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
Jennifer Greene
JG
Welch
Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Golisano Children's Hospital at University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA.
Barbara L
BL
Asselin
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Stephen E
SE
Sallan
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Lewis B
LB
Silverman
Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplant, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.
Kara M
KM
Kelly
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D064167:Recommended Dietary Allowances
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia; Dietary intake; Micronutrient intake: macronutrient intake; Nutritional status; Obesity; Pediatric oncology