Certain food groups are often rejected during chemotherapy (CT) due to the side effects of treatment, which may interfere with adequate diet and nutritional status. The aim of this study was to evaluate the treatment impact on the diet and nutritional status of women with breast cancer (BC). In this prospective longitudinal study, conducted in 2014–2015, 55 women diagnosed with BC, with a mean age 51.5±10.1 years, were followed and data were collected at three different times. Anthropometric and dietary assessments were performed, the latter by applying nine 24h dietary recalls, by using the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index Revised (BHEI-R), and calculating the prevalence of inadequacy by the EAR cut-off point method. Regarding the BHEI-R analysis, the majority of women had a “diet requires modification’, both at the beginning (T0, 58.2%, n = 32) and during treatment (T1, 54.5%, n = 30). However, after the end of the CT, the greater percentage of patients (T2, 49.1%, n = 27) were classified as having an "inadequate diet", since the Total Fruit consumption as well as the Dark Green and Orange Vegetable and Legume consumption decreased significantly during treatment (p = 0.043 and p = 0.026, respectively). There was a significant reduction in the intake of macro and micronutrients, with a high prevalence of inadequacy, of up to 100%, for calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin B6, vitamin C and zinc. Assessment of the nutritional status indicated that 56% (n = 31) of patients were overweight at these three different times. Weight, BMI and Waist Circumference increased significantly, indicating a worse nutritional status, and there was a correlation between poor diet quality and higher values for BMI, Waist-Hip Ratio and Waist-to-Height Ratio. Chemotherapy interferes in the patients’ diet generating a negative impact on the quality and intake of micro and macronutrients, as well as an impact on their nutritional status, with an increase in anthropometric measurements.

Animal studies strongly suggest that timed feeding can have beneficial physiological effects, including protection against the obesogenic and metabolic consequences of a high-fat diet. However, the relationship between variables related to the timing of eating and diet quality in pregnancy women, which is considered as a period of nutritional vulnerability, is still poorly described in the literature. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the associations between time-related eating patterns and chronotype with diet quality of pregnant women. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 100 pregnant women in the first gestational trimester (≤12 weeks of gestation). The information regarding food intake was obtained by three 24-Hour Dietary Recall (24HR). Time-related eating patterns, i.e., the interval between the first and the last meal (eating duration), nightly fasting, time of the first and last meals, and number of meals eating on a day were determined. Chronotype was derived using the mid-sleep time on free days on weekends, with a further correction for calculated sleep debt. Diet quality was evaluated using the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index-Revised (BHEI-R), validated for the Brazilian population. Linear regression modeling analyses adjusted for confounders were used to investigate the association between time-related eating patterns and chronotype with diet quality. The BHEI-R total score was negatively associated with time of the first meal (β = -0.355; p = 0.002; r2 adjusted = 0.141), and positively associated with eating duration (β = 0.262; p = 0.024; r2 adjusted = 0.086) and number of meals (β = 0.273; p = 0.019; r2 adjusted = 0.091). In addition, the score of total fruit component was negatively associated with chronotype (β = -0.236; p = 0.033; r2 adjusted = 0.078), time of the first meal (β = -0.393; p = 0.001; r2 adjusted = 0.171), and positively associated with eating duration (β = 0.259; p = 0.022; r2 adjusted = 0.087) and number of meals (β = 0.376; p = 0.001; r2 adjusted = 0.159). The score for whole fruit component was negatively associated with time of the first meal (β = -0.388; p = 0.001; r2 adjusted = 0.152), and positively associated with number of meals (β = 0.403; p = 0.001; r2 adjusted = 0.164). A longer eating duration, earlier time of the first meal, higher number of meals and morningness tendency are associated with a better diet quality in the first gestational trimester - higher scores of the total BHEI-R and/or fruit components. We suggest that nutritional guidelines should consider time-related eating patterns and chronotype to ensure good diet quality of pregnant women since the beginning of gestation, contributing on prevention of metabolic-nutritional complications.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is commonly treated with intestinal resections that lead to colostomy, which can influence changes in eating habits. This study aimed to analyze energy and nutrient intake, diet quality, and food consumption based on the processing level in CRC patients after colostomy. A prospective study was carried out at three time points (T0–recent colostomy, T1–3 months after colostomy, and T2-6 months after colostomy). Food intake was assessed by 24-hour dietary recall. Macro-micronutrient consumption, the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index-Revised (BHEI-R), and food consumption according to processing level by NOVA classification (raw or minimally processed, processed, and ultra-processed foods) were estimated. Generalized estimating equations were used to compare the food intake variables with time points. Of the 46 patients, 52.2% were women, and the mean age was 60.6±12.2 years old. There was a change in food consumption over time, with an increase in energy consumption (kcal and kcal/kg), lipids, and sodium, in addition to a reduction in some nutrients such as protein (g and g/kg), fiber, vitamin B1 and C and phosphorus. Regarding the key outcomes, BHEI-R and NOVA classification showed a poor diet quality with a reduction in total index (p = 0.022), raw food (p = 0.001), total fruits, and whole fruit consumption (p = 0.001), and an increase in sodium (p = 0.001) at 3 and/or 6 months after colostomy concomitant an increase in ultra-processed food (p = 0.015). Nutritional counseling is essential in care, effective eating changes habits improvement of symptoms and nutritional status, besides avoiding potential cancer recurrence.

Objective The focus of this study was to evaluate the associations between subjective sleep quality and duration and weight gain during pregnancy. Methods A prospective and longitudinal study was conducted with 63 pregnant women. Pregnant women were evaluated at the first, second and third trimester for subjective sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]) and anthropometric variables for body mass index [BMI] calculation. The sleep quality was grouped per cluster, identifying those individuals who maintained, improved or worsened their sleep quality, based on the PSQI classifications. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to examine the association between sleep and BMI over the pregnancy period. Results An effect of the interaction between time of pregnancy and clusters of sleep quality was observed on the BMI (p<0.05), which indicates that pregnant women who improved subjective sleep quality during pregnancy gained more weight from the second to third trimester, while those that worsened the subjective sleep quality gained more weight during the first to second trimester. Sleep duration was not associated with weight gain. However, pregnant women who maintained the same BMI category over the pregnancy period increased their sleep duration from the first to third trimester, while those that increased the BMI category slept the same amount of time during this period (median=1.0 [0.0-2.0] and median=0.0 [-2.0-1.0], respectively, p=0.039). Conclusions The authors concluded that a worse subjective sleep quality seems to lead to an inadequate weight gain distribution during the period of pregnancy.

The objective behind this study was the analysis of food intake and the nutritional status of women with breast cancer (BC) undergoing chemotherapy (CT). The quantitative dietary evaluation was performed in accordance with Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI), whereas the qualitative evaluation was performed through the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index – Revised (BHEI-R).From among the total number of patients (n = 20), 60% (n = 12) presented waist circumference, equal to or higher than 88cm. It was noted that 75% (n = 15) individuals were overweight. The average intake for calcium, copper, iron, dietary fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, niacin, vitamin B6 and zinc, were found to be below adequate intake levels, while the intake of vitamin C, phosphorus, manganese, sodium and thiamine were all found to be above DRIs recommendations. As for the analysis of the BHEI-R, 80% (n = 16) of the patients presented a “diet that needs modifications”, while 20% (n = 4) presented a “healthy diet”. Noted from these observations was the presence of a high overweight rate, a discrepancy in the intake of micronutrients and a diet that needed improvements. In this manner, the establishment and use of a nutritional intervention protocol are very important when it comes to the improvement of the diet in patients with BC and who are undergoing CT.