Effect of Intervention on the Nutritional Status of Selected Cancer Patients

Abstract

KEYWORDS Cancer. Disease. Underdeveloped Countries. Tobacco ABSTRACT Cancer is the most dreaded disease and is the second leading cause of death in many developed and underdeveloped countries of the world. It has thus become major public health problem in the world. Nearly 35-40% of cancers in India are related tobacco chewing. The present study was conducted at Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology and Bangalore Institute of Oncology, Bangalore. The subjects of the study were totally 150 from both the hospitals. Intervention was carried out by feeding finger millet (Eleucine coracana) malt for 30 days to see the impact on Body Mass Index (BMI) and serum nutrients. Regarding different stages of dysphagia majority of the patients in both (57.3%) were suffering from dysphagia stage III and 38% of the patients in both were suffering from dysphagia stage II and only 4.6% of the patients in both cancer were suffering from dysphagia stage IV. The mean dietary intake and percent adequacy of nutrients in both male and female patients were much below the RDA except for calcium. There was a significant difference at 1% level for all nutrients except calcium. After the intervention the mean weight, BMI and serum nutrients were increased in experimental group and decreased in control group (hospital diet). Statistically it was found non-significant for BMI and serum nutrients. Thus, the study concludes that feeding the patients with enriched finger millet malt has improved their nutritional status.