Accurate Determination of Energy Needs in Children and Adolescents With Cancer

Abstract

Studies on children with cancer have suggested that energy expenditure may indeed be greater than predicted for healthy children. Nutritional assessment is important for intervention and for the prevention of complications associated with malnutrition. The present study aimed to describe the nutritional status, energy expenditure, and substrate utilization of children and adolescents with cancer compared to healthy children matched for age, sex, and body mass index. Subjects were evaluated by anthropometry, food intake pattern, and body composition analysis. Energy expenditure and substrate oxidation were measured by indirect calorimetry. Indirect calorimetry data, energy, and macronutrient intake, anthropometry, and body composition parameters showed no significant differences between groups. There was no evidence of increased energy expenditure or of a change in substrate utilization in children with cancer compared to the healthy group. The data regarding usual food consumption showed no significant differences between groups.

Food habits during treatment of childhood cancer: a critical review

“…Typically, they consumed less energy than controls (8,10,16) while the difference did not reach significance in two studies (17,18) . Galati et al (17) and Delbecque-Boussard et al (16) used indirect calorimetry to study energy expenditure in children with cancer (16,17) . Both found no difference between patients' and healthy controls' energy expenditure.…”

“…Both found no difference between patients' and healthy controls' energy expenditure. However, Galati et al (17) showed that patients' metabolic rate was higher at diagnosis, but had decreased to be similar to controls after two cycles of chemotherapy.…”

Gastrostomy tube use in children with cancer

“…All children with cancer are at risk of malnutrition, which may present at any stage from diagnosis, during treatment or into survivorship. The reported prevalence of malnutrition in children with cancer varies from 5.2% to 48% . Childhood is a critical period for growth, brain development, puberty, and bone formation.…”

“…The reported prevalence of malnutrition in children with cancer varies from 5.2% to 48%. [1][2][3][4] Childhood is a critical period for growth, brain development, puberty, and bone formation. Malnutrition may hinder these physiological childhood processes and has been associated with poorer survival outcomes, increased morbidity, increased episodes of febrile neutropenia with bacteremia, reduced chemotherapy tolerance, and lower physical, emotional and social functioning scores for health-related quality of life.…”

Parenteral nutrition use in children with cancer

“…The reported prevalence of malnutrition in children with cancer is 5.2‐48% and this may present at any stage during a patient's cancer journey from the time of diagnosis, throughout treatment, and into survivorship. The impact of malnutrition varies in severity between individuals and can include detrimental consequences for critical childhood processes of growth, development, and puberty.…”