Background. Nutrition and lifestyle elements can significantly support the therapeutic process in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, which is the basis for tertiary prevention. The study aimed to assess the nutritional strategies and lifestyle of CRC patients and to determine differences in these behaviors depending on gender and age. Methods. The study group included 202 CRC patients. The research was carried out in two hospitals and using the snowball method. The research tool was an original questionnaire. Data were processed in statistical programs. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results. Patients reported many behavioral–nutritional side effects. Half of them did not use a therapeutic diet (n = 101; 50.0%). The majority of patients declared that they ate three meals a day (57.4%). Fruits and vegetables were mainly eaten raw (69.3%). Almost a quarter of patients were not physically active at all (22.3%). Men chose to fry meat significantly more often than women (27.7% vs. 19.3%) (p = 0.003). The elderly consumed fast food significantly less often than middle-aged (88.5% vs. 72.3%) (p = 0.03). Conclusions. Patients showed both pro- and anti-health activities. The findings revealed several noteworthy disparities in dietary habits and lifestyle choices based on gender and age, indicating that these factors can significantly influence the health management of CRC patients. The patients’ behaviors should be constantly monitored and intensified, especially through regular consultations and educational meetings with an oncology dietitian for nutritional tertiary prevention of chronic disease.
Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, particularly affecting the elderly. Tertiary prevention—focused on nutrition and lifestyle—may play an important role in improving treatment outcomes and quality of life. This exploratory study aimed to describe dietary and lifestyle behaviors among CRC patients, considering age, body mass index (BMI), and educational background as potential differentiating factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 202 CRC patients using a validated paper-based questionnaire. Sociodemographic data and health behaviors were analyzed using chi-square tests. Results: Age-related differences revealed that middle-aged patients consumed vegetables and legumes more frequently but also reported higher fast-food intake. Elderly individuals more often abstained from alcohol and tobacco. Overweight and obese participants were more likely to consume meat and sweets regularly and preferred frying over other cooking methods. Higher education was associated with lower rates of smoking and alcohol use. Conclusions: The findings suggest that dietary and lifestyle profiles among CRC patients may vary by age, BMI, and education. While causal relationships cannot be established, the results may help generate hypotheses for future research and support the development of individualized tertiary prevention strategies.
Summary: A new virus, SARS-CoV-2, emerged in December 2019, triggering the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 due to the rapid spread and severity of cases worldwide. In Poland, the first case of COVID-19 was reported on 4 March 2020. The aim of the prevention efforts was primarily to stop the spread of the infection to prevent overburdening the health care system. Many illnesses were treated by telemedicine, primarily using teleconsultation. Telemedicine has reduced personal contact between doctors and patients and reduced the risk of exposure to disease for patients and medical personnel. The survey aimed to gather patients’ opinions on the quality and availability of specialized medical services during the pandemic. Based on the data collected regarding patients’ opinions on services provided via telephone systems, a picture was created of patients’ opinions on teleconsultation, and attention was drawn to emerging problems. The study included a 200-person group of patients, realizing their appointments at a multispecialty outpatient clinic in Bytom, aged over 18 years, with various levels of education. The study was conducted among patients of Specialized Hospital No. 1 in Bytom. A proprietary survey questionnaire was developed for the study, which was conducted on paper and used face-to-face interaction with patients. Results: 17.5% of women and 17.5% of men rated the availability of services during the pandemic as good. In contrast, among those aged 60 and over, 14.5% of respondents rated the availability of services during the pandemic as poor. In contrast, among those in the labor force, as many as 20% of respondents rated the accessibility of services provided during the pandemic as being well. The same answer was marked by those on a pension (15%). Overwhelmingly, women in the age group of 60 and over showed a reluctance toward teleconsultation. Conclusions: Patients’ attitudes toward the use of teleconsultation services during the COVID-19 pandemic varied, primarily due to attitudes toward the new situation, the age of the patient, or the need to adapt to specific solutions not always understood by the public. Telemedicine cannot completely replace inpatient services, especially among the elderly. It is necessary to refine remote visits to convince the public of this type of service. Remote visits should be refined and adapted to the needs of patients in such a way as to remove any barriers and problems arising from this type of service. This system should also be introduced as a target, providing an alternative method of inpatient services even after the pandemic ends.
Background: Nutritional deterioration and systemic inflammation frequently accompany gastrointestinal cancers and may negatively affect treatment tolerance, quality of life, and clinical outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate nutritional status, dietary behaviors, inflammatory biomarkers, and multidimensional nutritional–inflammatory profiles in patients with gastrointestinal cancers within the context of tertiary prevention. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 patients with gastrointestinal cancers. Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), while dietary behaviors were evaluated using an original questionnaire. Biochemical markers, including albumin, hemoglobin, C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), were evaluated in participants with available laboratory data. Exploratory hierarchical clustering analysis was performed to identify multidimensional nutritional–inflammatory profiles. Results: According to the MNA classification, 79.3% of participants were at risk of malnutrition and 2.0% were malnourished despite predominantly normal or excessive body weight. Nutritional risk was identified in 91.4% of patients with normal BMI and in 79.5% of overweight patients. Only 32.0% of patients reported receiving dietary counseling during treatment, while oral nutritional supplements and therapeutic diets were used by 40.7% and 41.3% of participants, respectively. Biochemical analyses revealed elevated inflammatory markers accompanied by reduced albumin concentration and anemia-related abnormalities. Exploratory clustering analysis suggested three distinct nutritional–inflammatory profiles (Stable/Supported, Hidden Malnutrition, and Inflammatory Deterioration), highlighting metabolic heterogeneity within the study population. Conclusions: Patients with gastrointestinal cancers frequently present nutritional risk accompanied by inflammatory activation despite preserved or excessive body weight. A multidimensional assessment integrating nutritional screening, dietary evaluation, inflammatory biomarkers, and exploratory profile-based clustering may improve understanding of nutritional heterogeneity in gastrointestinal cancer patients and may support future research on individualized nutritional assessment and supportive care.
4 September 2023 in Medycyna Ogólna i Nauki o Zdrowiu
Introduction and objective: Children and adolescents are a group particularly exposed to nutritional consequences resulting from the consumption of potentially harmful food products. School-age children should eat 5 meals a day with 3–4 hour breaks between meals. It is also acceptable...