Quality of diet among women with breast cancer and their relation with nutritional knowledge and nutritional status

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the quality of the diet among women with breast cancer and their relation with nutritional knowledge and nutritional state. Method: observational cross-sectional study with 58 women with breast tumor who underwent oncologic treatment in the city of Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil. The following were evaluated: I. clinical and social economic profile; II. nutritional knowledge; III. nutritional State and IV. quality of the diet. Results: Age ranged between 40 and 60 years; 94.8% (55) with ductal carcinoma; 62.1% in clinical stage III; and 34.5% (20) treated with chemotherapy associated with radiotherapy. NKS presented 7.6 (±2.6), showing moderate nutritional knowledge. Excess weight was present in 75.8% (44) of the patients, and BMI indicated overweight (29±4,5 kg/m²). CW was >88 cm in 91.4% (53) of the cases, indicating cardiovascular risk associated to obesity. The average HEQ was 81 (±10.1) points and 95% (55) had ≥65 score, indicating a healthy diet. The average on vegetables and total grains intake was 2 (±2.2) and 3.8 (±2) portions, respectively. There was a high prevalence of intake below recommended (Group 1) for fruits (44.8%; 26); vegetables (82.8%; 48), total grains (70.7%; 41), milk and dairy products (62.1%; 36) and diet variety (75.9%; 44). There was a correlation between NKS and HIQ (p=0.04). Conclusion: HIQ suggested that the majority of patients had a healthy diet. However, the intake of food components, when evaluated individually per groups, indicated lower ingestion as to what is recommended. Correlation between nutritional knowledge and HIQ reinforced the influence of nutritional education on food choices.