Eating and feeding problems in children with cancer: Prevalence, related factors, and consequences

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Oncology
• Child Psychology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Cancer treatment in children often causes side effects like appetite loss, nausea, and vomiting.
• These side effects create significant challenges for maintaining adequate nutrition in pediatric cancer patients.
• Ensuring proper intake places considerable pressure on both the child and their caregivers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of eating and feeding problems in children undergoing cancer treatment.
• To identify the causes contributing to these eating and feeding difficulties.
• To understand the consequences of these problems on the child's well-being and nutritional status.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Behavioral Pediatrics Feeding Assessment Scale (BPFAS) with parent reports from 85 children with cancer.
• Measured symptoms, body mass index (BMI), energy intake, feeding style, and parental distress.
• Data collection occurred at multiple time points: 0, 3, 6, and 12 months post-diagnosis.

Main Results:

• Almost 25% of children experienced eating disorders (15.7% diminished intake, 8.6% excessive intake).
• Feeding disorders linked to parental behavior affected 21.1% of children; prevalence was higher in children under 8 years.
• Younger age, pre-illness eating habits, increased symptoms, and demanding feeding styles correlated with more eating problems.

Conclusions:

• Younger children with cancer are particularly vulnerable to eating and feeding problems.
• Factors like poor pre-illness eating, symptoms, and demanding feeding styles exacerbate these issues.
• Interventions should focus on mitigating treatment side effects and guiding parents toward less demanding feeding approaches.