Related Experiment Videos
Food and Nutrition Literacy in Oncology: Associations With Clinical, Behavioral and Care-Related Outcomes - A
Michela Monaci1, Ruxandra Tocan1, Chiara Annamaria Raso2
1WHYpsy Lab, Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Abstract:
Nutrition is a critical component of cancer care, influencing treatment tolerance, nutritional status, quality of life, and overall clinical outcomes. Patients with cancer often face complex and sometimes conflicting dietary information, making food and nutrition literacy-the ability to access, understand, evaluate, and apply nutrition information-particularly important. Despite growing interest, evidence on nutrition literacy in oncology remains fragmented and conceptually heterogeneous. This systematic review synthesizes quantitative evidence on food and nutrition literacy and related constructs among adults with cancer and examines associations with clinical, nutritional, behavioral, and healthcare-related outcomes. Following Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA guidelines, five databases were searched for peer-reviewed studies published in English. Nineteen studies (2013-2025) met the inclusion criteria. Overall, higher levels of nutrition literacy were consistently associated with healthier dietary behaviors, improved diet quality, better nutritional status, higher quality of life, and greater self-management capacity. Intervention studies suggested that literacy-focused nutritional education may reduce treatment-related symptoms and improve psychosocial outcomes, with limited evidence indicating possible reductions in healthcare utilization. Despite variability in terminology and measurement tools, findings highlight nutrition literacy as a meaningful and modifiable determinant in cancer care, underscoring the need for clearer conceptual frameworks and validated oncology-specific instruments.
Related Concept Videos
Cancer Prevention
Some...
Cancer Prevention
Some...
Nursing Ethical Principles II
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's cancer...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the colonic...
Health Literacy
Cancer Survival Analysis