P256 - DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF THE EATING BEHAVIOR OF CANCEROUS CHILDREN DURING CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENT

P256

DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF THE EATING BEHAVIOR OF CANCEROUS CHILDREN DURING CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENT

R. Elhayboubi^1,*, B. fatih¹, R. aanbari², S. cherkaoui¹

¹Faculty of medecine and pharmacy, ²University hospital ibn rochd, casablanca, Morocco

Rationale: Children with cancer experience changes in eating behaviors that complicate nutritional management, essential for supporting treatment and improving nutritional status. This study aims to describe their dietary habits, preferences, and obstacles during chemotherapy to optimize nutritional education.

Methods: Monocentric study in April 2024 on children under chemotherapy in pediatric oncology unit, nutrition assessed via BMI and food behavior survey with the children and their parents, after their consent, and analyzed on Microsoft Excel.

Results: Among 35 children (median age: 8 years; M/F ratio: 2.3), 61% were malnourished. Diagnoses included 63.3% leukemias and 30% solid tumors. Weight loss occurred in 86.7%. Eating difficulties affected 70%, with 80% reporting appetite loss. Vomiting (33.3%) and mucositis (25%) were the main barriers to eating. All patients reported dietary changes. Only 33.3% valued meal variety and balance, and cereal/bread were the most consumed foods (31.6%).

Conclusion: The results of the study show the impact of the side effects of chemotherapy on the eating behaviors of children with cancer by highlighting the need for adapted nutritional strategies to overcome these obstacles. Personalized nutritional support based on a thorough understanding of the needs and preferences of children by adapting the content of nutritional education sessions will contribute to maintaining their weight and improving nutritional management.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared