Consumption of Low-Fat Dairy Products and Energy and Protein Intake in Cancer Patients at Risk of Malnutrition

• Published in: Nutrition and cancer 2015-01, Vol.67 (1), p.191-195
• Main Authors: Vidal-Casariego, Alfonso, Pintor-de la Maza, Begoña, Calleja-Fernández, Alicia, Villar-Taibo, Rocío, Cano-Rodríguez, Isidoro, Ballesteros-Pomar, María D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Animals; anthropometric measurements; Cancer; Cross-Sectional Studies; dairy consumption; Dairy products; Dairy Products - adverse effects; Diet, Fat-Restricted - adverse effects; Dietary Proteins - administration & dosage; dietary recommendations; Energy; Energy Intake; fat intake; Female; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms - physiopathology; gastrointestinal system; healthy diet; Hematology; Hospitals, University; Humans; hypercholesterolemia; low fat dairy products; Male; males; malnutrition; Malnutrition - epidemiology; Malnutrition - etiology; Malnutrition - prevention & control; Middle Aged; Milk - adverse effects; Nutrition; Nutrition Policy; nutritional status; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; Paraneoplastic Syndromes - epidemiology; Paraneoplastic Syndromes - etiology; Paraneoplastic Syndromes - prevention & control; Patient Compliance; patients; physical activity; protein intake; Proteins; questionnaires; Risk; Spain - epidemiology; whole milk; yogurt; Yogurt - adverse effects
• ISSN: 1532-7914; 0163-5581; 1532-7914
• DOI: 10.1080/01635581.2015.967874

Current nutritional guidelines encourage the reduction of fat intake from animal sources like dairy products. The aim was to determine whether the consumption of low-fat dairy is related to poorer dietary intake and nutritional status in cancer patients at risk of malnutrition. This cross-sectional included patients with solid or hematological malignancies at risk of malnutrition. Nutritional status was studied using Subjective Global Assessment, anthropometry, and grip strength. Dietary intake was evaluated with a 24-h recall and dairy consumption with a structured questionnaire. Seventy-four patients were recruited; 71.6% males of 64.8 yr, most with gastrointestinal malignancies. Only 37.8% consumed whole milk, and 61.4% consumed whole yogurt. Reasons for consumption of low-fat dairies were healthy diet (58.0%), hypercholesterolemia (20.0%), and digestive intolerance (10.0%). There were similar rates of malnutrition according the type of dairy (whole 60.9% vs. low-fat 66.7%, P = 0.640). Low-fat dairies were related to a reduction in energy (whole 1980.1 kcal vs. low-fat 1480.9, P = 0.007) and protein intake (whole 86.0 g vs. low-fat 63.0 g, P = 0.030).