Risk factors and assessment considerations for essential fatty acid deficiency in nonparenterally fed patients using a case example.

Essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD) has most commonly been reported in parenterally fed individuals but may also present in patients receiving fat-restricted diets and in patients with fat-malabsorption disorders. This article reviews the physical and biochemical assessment for EFAD in clinical practice and disorders of fat malabsorption as potential risk factors for EFAD. A case report is included to describe the fatty acid profile of a patient with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency receiving low-dose pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy after a self-imposed fat-restricted diet.

Transitioning the eating experience in survivors of head and neck cancer.

Purpose: Applying the Social Cognitive Transition (SCT) Model of Adjustment as an interpretive framework, this mixed-methods case series explored how head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors participate in the dimensions of the eating experience (described as physiological, psychological, social, cultural).

Methods: This was a sub-study of a primary study, "The Natural History and Impact of Taste Change in Oncology Care." Qualitative interviews and quantitative data (questionnaires and exams) were intersected to examine and describe the complexities of transitioning the eating experience after treatment for HNC.

Integration of patient-centered care in nutrition support decision-making: A case report.

Patient-centered care considers a patient's unique needs, values, preferences, and the psychosocial situation at the heart of decisions related to healthcare. Dietitians have reported several barriers to the practice of patient-centered care, including a lack of time and support and a perception that patients are unable to participate. This is meaningful as decisions regarding nutrition therapy, specifically in adult populations with cancer, influence patient morbidity and mortality and a patient's quality of life.

The eating experience after treatment for head and neck cancer: A review of the literature.

Purpose: Research has identified significant challenges that patients experience following treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC). These include the physical and emotional impacts of the diagnosis and treatment, which compound weight loss and negatively impact eating ability. There is limited research about the lived experience and the changed meaning of food, eating and the eating experience after treatment for patients with HNC.

The eating experience in long-term survivors of head and neck cancer: a mixed-methods study.

Purpose: This study explored the eating experience in long-term survivors of head and neck cancer (HNC) ≥3 years post concurrent chemoradiation. Quality of life (QOL) and the meanings and perceptions survivors had as it related to the eating experience were explored.

Methods: Purposive sampling was utilized; 10 long-term survivors of HNC participated in the study.

Practical clinical interventions for diet, physical activity, and weight control in cancer survivors.

Answer questions and earn CME/CNE The importance of expanding cancer treatment to include the promotion of overall long-term health is emphasized in the Institute of Medicine report on delivering quality oncology care. Weight management, physical activity, and a healthy diet are key components of tertiary prevention but may be areas in which the oncologist and/or the oncology care team may be less familiar. This article reviews current diet and physical activity guidelines, the evidence supporting those recommendations, and provides an overview of practical interventions that have resulted in favorable improvements in lifestyle behavior change in cancer survivors.

Symptom burden in head and neck cancer: impact upon oral energy and protein intake.

Purpose: This study explored relationships between oral symptom burden (xerostomia, thick secretions, and mucosal sensitivity), energy and protein intake, and weight change over time among head and neck cancer (HNC) patients who have completed concurrent chemoradiation (CCR).

Methods: Symptom burden was assessed utilizing the Vanderbilt Head and Neck Symptom Survey version 2.0.