TY - JOUR
T1 - Evidence-based nutrition guidelines for cancer survivors in Europe
T2 - a call for action
AU - Keaver, Laura
AU - Houlihan, Christine
AU - O’Callaghan, Niamh
AU - LaVertu, Amy E.
AU - Ding, Xinge
AU - Zhang, Fang Fang
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.
PY - 2022/6
Y1 - 2022/6
N2 - Background/Objectives: The aims of this study were to (1) document currently available guidelines aimed at healthcare professionals and including some information on the nutritional management of cancer survivors in Europe; (2) assess the quality of these guidelines and (3) document the nutrition recommendations promoted. Methods: Four search strategies were implemented in 2018 and updated in 2021 to locate guidelines. Papers were included if they described a European guideline or recommendation for cancer survivors that contained nutrition guidance and there were no language restrictions. Two reviewers independently assessed guideline quality using the AGREE II instrument and nutrition content was extracted and summarised. Results: Five guidelines (of 593 documents located through the searches) met the inclusion criteria. The ESPEN guidelines were deemed to have the highest methodological quality. Limited information on nutrition was available in these guidelines with the majority of focus being on the promotion of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains and reducing fat, red meat and alcohol. Weight management was mentioned by all five guidelines. There was no detailed information available for cancer survivors or their healthcare team and no practical strategies for the implementation of recommendations. Conclusions: There is a need for nutrition guidelines specific for cancer survivors in a European setting. Current guidelines are limited and focus on broad recommendations, while lacking in practical strategies for implementation. There is also a tendency to recommend cancer prevention guidelines be used for cancer survivors rather than developing specific guidance for this group.
AB - Background/Objectives: The aims of this study were to (1) document currently available guidelines aimed at healthcare professionals and including some information on the nutritional management of cancer survivors in Europe; (2) assess the quality of these guidelines and (3) document the nutrition recommendations promoted. Methods: Four search strategies were implemented in 2018 and updated in 2021 to locate guidelines. Papers were included if they described a European guideline or recommendation for cancer survivors that contained nutrition guidance and there were no language restrictions. Two reviewers independently assessed guideline quality using the AGREE II instrument and nutrition content was extracted and summarised. Results: Five guidelines (of 593 documents located through the searches) met the inclusion criteria. The ESPEN guidelines were deemed to have the highest methodological quality. Limited information on nutrition was available in these guidelines with the majority of focus being on the promotion of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains and reducing fat, red meat and alcohol. Weight management was mentioned by all five guidelines. There was no detailed information available for cancer survivors or their healthcare team and no practical strategies for the implementation of recommendations. Conclusions: There is a need for nutrition guidelines specific for cancer survivors in a European setting. Current guidelines are limited and focus on broad recommendations, while lacking in practical strategies for implementation. There is also a tendency to recommend cancer prevention guidelines be used for cancer survivors rather than developing specific guidance for this group.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85118311265&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41430-021-01036-8
DO - 10.1038/s41430-021-01036-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 34716363
AN - SCOPUS:85118311265
SN - 0954-3007
VL - 76
SP - 819
EP - 826
JO - European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
JF - European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
IS - 6
ER -