Skip to main content

Table 2 Dietary changes made by cancer patients: Reasons, benefits, and adverse effects

From: Exploring dietary changes and supplement use among cancer patients in Norway: prevalence, motivations, disclosure, information, and perceived risks and benefits: a cross sectional study

        

Reason(s) for use**

     
 

Total

 

Women

Men

p-value

To treat cancer or prevent it from spreading

To treat side effects or late effects of cancer/ cancer treatment

To strengthen the body / immune system

To increase quality of life, coping, relaxation or well-being

Other reason

Improvement

Adverse effects

 

%

n

%

n

%

n

 

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

Modifications to exicting diet

79.5

364

78.6

242

81.3

122

0.492*

23.9

87

31.6

115

69.5

253

61.3

223

45.9

167

45.5

164

12.1

44

Increased intake of fruit and vegetables

55.7

255

56.5

174

54.0

81

0.614*

12.2

31

12.5

32

78.0

199

48.6

124

13.3

34

-

-

6.3

16

Reduced intake of suger

45.9

210

46.4

143

44.7

67

0.722*

27.1

57

27.1

57

47.1

99

51.0

107

17.6

37

-

-

10.5

22

Increased intake of fish

43.9

201

40.6

125

50.7

76

0.041*

8.0

16

12.9

26

68.2

137

43.8

88

15.4

31

-

-

4.0

8

Reduced intake of alcohol

42.6

195

45.5

140

36.7

55

0.074*

17.9

35

24.1

47

33.8

66

40.0

78

35.4

69

-

-

4.1

8

Increased intake of whole grains

40.0

183

37.3

115

45.3

68

0.101*

8.2

15

15.8

29

63.9

117

45.4

83

19.7

36

-

-

9.3

17

Reduced intake of carbohydrats

26.0

119

27.9

86

22.0

33

0.175*

18.5

22

26.9

32

36.1

43

54.6

65

29.4

35

-

-

12.6

15

Reduced intake of meat

21.8

100

23.1

71

19.3

29

0.366*

18.0

18

23.0

23

31.0

31

49.0

49

29.0

29

-

-

9.0

9

Reduced intake of dairy products

18.8

86

16.6

51

23.3

35

0.081*

12.8

11

27.9

24

24.4

21

43.0

37

38.4

33

-

-

14.0

12

Special Diets

42.3

191

42.4

129

41.9

62

0.913*

17.8

34

23.6

45

66.5

127

56.0

107

28.3

54

49.2

94

9.9

19

Nutrient dense diet 1

23.2

105

22.7

69

24.3

36

0.701*

8.6

9

33.3

23

67.6

71

50.5

53

14.3

15

-

-

9.6

10

Organic food 2

16.4

74

17.4

53

14.2

21

0.382*

18.9

14

18.9

10

74.3

55

50.0

37

27.0

20

-

-

4.1

3

Low carb diet 3

13.5

61

14.8

45

10.8

16

0.244*

23.0

14

40.0

18

39.3

24

62.3

38

31.1

19

-

-

8.2

5

Fasting 4

7.1

32

7.9

24

5.4

8

0.333*

21.9

7

28.1

9

40.6

13

65.6

21

28.1

9

-

-

15.6

5

Vegetarian diet 5

2.9

13

3.3

10

2.0

3

0.560^

30.8

4

30.0

3

53.8

7

53.8

7

15.4

2

-

-

0.0

0

Ketogenic diet 6

2.7

12

2.6

8

2.7

4

1.000^

41.7

5

50.0

4

50.0

6

50.0

6

8.3

1

-

-

16.7

2

Juice diet 7 (carrot, beetroot, apricot etc.)

1.8

8

1.7

5

2.0

3

0.814^

62.5

5

50.0

4

88.0

7

50

4

0.0

0

-

-

50.0

4

Budwig diet 8

1.3

6

1.3

4

1.4

2

1.000^

100

6

16.6

1

67.0

4

16.6

1

0.0

0

-

-

0.0

0

Vegan diet 9

0.4

2

0.7

2

0.0

0

1.000^

50.0

1

50.0

1

0.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

-

-

0.0

0

Total

81.6

373

80.1

246

84.7

127

0.240*

24.7

92

32.7

122

72.1

269

63.0

235

49.6

185

48.8

182

13.7

51

  1. *Pearson chi-square test; ^Fisher exact test
  2. ** multiple choice; - data not collected
  3. 1 Food that is high in nutrients but relatively low in calories; 2 Foods and drinks produced by methods complying with the standards of organic farming; 3 A diet that restricts carbohydrates and is high in protein, fat, and vegetables; 4 Abstention from eating and sometimes drinking over a period of time; 5 A diet that do not contain meat, poultry, or fish but might include eggs and dairy products; 6 A low carb, high fat diet; 7 A diet containing only of juices from vegetables and fruits; 8 flaxseed oil and cottage cheese, as well as vegetables, fruits and juices. Processed foods, meats, most dairy products and sugar are prohibited; 9 A diet without any products derived from animals
Back to article page

BMC Nutrition

ISSN: 2055-0928

Contact us