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A Treatment Package without Escape Extinction to Address Food Selectivity
Published on: August 21, 2015
Food Aversion during Cancer Treatment: A Systematic Review
Aline de Araújo Pereira1, Emylliane Santana Dos Reis1, Mariana Julião Guilarducci1
1Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Sudeste de Minas Gerais - Campus Barbacena, Barbacena, Brazil.
Abstract:
Individuals with cancer often present food aversion after initiation of anti-tumor treatment, which may impair nutritional status. We aim to assess the prevalence and factors associated with food aversion during cancer treatment. Articles from three databases were searched: MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Library. English was used, with no restriction on the year of publication. Inclusion criteria were original articles that evaluated food aversion in adults and the elderly undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy treatment. Fifteen articles were included. A high prevalence of food aversion (21-62%) was observed, with meat considered the most aversive food. The aversion is usually transient and may be due to gastrointestinal problems, such as nausea and vomiting, caused by chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment, and even psychological and emotional issues. Offering a new food before the beginning of treatment seems to be an effective strategy to reduce aversion, combined with nutritional and psychological monitoring. Cancer patients have a high prevalence of food aversion. Multidisciplinary care can minimize the consequences of cancer treatment.
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