Impact of the oncological treatment on change in taste perception and dietary habits of children diagnosed with cancer – preliminary study

Abstract

Purpose: Chemotherapy, which is widely used in cancer treatment in children, may cause various side effects, including impaired taste perception, thus the main aim of the presented study was a subjective assessment of changes in taste perception and dietary habits among children undergoing oncological treatment. Materials and methods: In the present study, 41 hospitalized children were examined (mean age 11.0 ± 5.1 years). Anthropometric measurements were made, and diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Results: For 85.4% of the patients, the current treatment was chemotherapy. The average Body Mass Index value was 17.8 kg/m2 . 68.3% of children declared a change in taste preferences preferred tastes were spicy (39.3%) and sour (35.7%). Determination of the way of eating showed a significant reduction in the consumption of bread, milk and dairy products, poultry, meat, fish, potatoes, vegetables, and a particularly pronounced decrease in the frequency of sweets consumption. Conclusions: Oncological treatment changes the subjective taste perception of children in favor of intense flavors, and the process of oncological treatment, especially the use of chemotherapy, affects the way of eating