Assistant Professor University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida, United States
Disclosure(s):
Brian D. Sukhu, BS: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Objectives: Diet quality among Hispanic cancer survivors has been reported to be poorer compared to white counterparts, yet attributable reasons are still unknown. Thus, we examined dietary changes and underlying reasons among Hispanic breast cancer survivors.
Methods: Hispanic women (age >20 years), diagnosed with breast cancer at least six months ago, residing in Central Florida, and able to read/speak either English or Spanish were recruited following the Florida Cancer Registry’s recruitment procedure for a study examining intra-Hispanic disparities in quality of life. Participants’ dietary change was assessed using several questions in the survey. If their diet had changed, they also reported changes in the quantity and quality and the reasons for eating less and eating less healthily. We used descriptive statistics to analyze the survey responses.
Results: Among 411 women recruited, 397 completed the dietary intake questions and were included in the analysis. The mean age was 59.7 (±11.8), and the mean time since diagnosis was 4.8 (±2.0) years. The majority (68%) stated their health was good, taking dietary supplements (86%), consuming more than three servings of fruit and vegetables (64%), preferring whole grains (76%), and avoiding sweetened drinks (86%), red and processed meats (76%) and fast food (92%). About two-thirds (n=245) reported dietary changes either in quantity and quality (n=138), quantity only (n=20), or quality only (n=71). About a third of the participants (n=139) reported eating less, and the primary reasons include a desire to improve health, loss of appetite, weight concerns, side effects, and health issues. About half of the participants (n=201) reported eating a healthier diet, with eight reporting a less healthy diet. The reasons for eating less healthily include dietary transitions and lack of motivation.
Conclusions: About two-thirds of the participants changed their diet after being diagnosed with cancer, with half reporting eating healthily, hoping to improve their health. However, some participants still report eating less healthily. These findings underscore the need for future research to examine the barriers to healthy diets and how these dietary changes can influence quality of life.
Funding Sources: University of Central Florida Office of Research SEED grant and the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation Scientific Research Grant
