Nutritional status and health-related quality of life of breast cancer patients on chemotherapy.

INTRODUCTION: Nutritional decline is typically accepted as a consequent of the course of treatment for cancer. This study aimed to (1) assess body weight status and dietary intake of breast cancer patients on chemotherapy and (2) to correlate Body Mass Index (BMI), energy and protein intake with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) profile. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two government hospitals in the East coast of Peninsular Malaysia using convenience sampling. Women aged > or =18 years, who were diagnosed with breast cancer and receiving chemotherapy were invited to participate. The following aspects were evaluated: body weight status, usual dietary intake (diet history) and HRQoL (EORTC QLQ-C30). Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were employed (SPSS 16). RESULTS: Of the respondents, 41 were 49 +/- 9.6 years of age; 92.7% were Malay; 97.6% (response rate = 91%) were on moderately emetogenic chemotherapy. Over half of the patients were overweight or obese (mean BMI = 25.3 +/- 1.1 kg/m2). The majority self-reported weight reduction (46.3%) but positive energy balance was detected with the current energy and protein intakes recorded at 1792.6 +/- 304.9 kcal/day (range= 1200-2500) and 74.5 g/day (IqR= 37.7) respectively. Dietary intakes were, however, not correlated with HRQoL, but greater BMI was associated with better emotional and cognitive functioning and less fatigue. CONCLUSION: Although most patients declared losing weight, obesity and excess dietary intake were noted. Additionally, body weight status has been shown to be important in HRQoL profile, underlining the necessity for effective nutritional assessments and support to the cancer population.

Body weight satisfaction: association with weight control practices among type 2 diabetic patients.

INTRODUCTION: The recommendation to lose weight has been the guiding principle in the treatment of type 2 diabetic patients. However, to facilitate this process, it is vital to understand factors associated with personal feelings about body weight and related behaviour. METHODS: The objectives of this cross-sectional study were (1) to determine mean BMI and weight of satisfaction and (2) to measure the association between body weight satisfaction vs. sex, BMI, glycaemic control (as measured by Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG), and attempts to lose weight among type 2 diabetic patients. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were employed (SPSS 16). A total of 67 subjects were recruited from Klinik Kesihatan Bandar Kuantan (age = 54.1 +/- 8.1 years; female = 62.7%; Malay = 73.1%; overweight/obese = 62.7%) who completed a set of self-administered questionnaires. RESULTS: The mean BMI and weight of satisfaction were 27.9 +/- 5.3 kg/m2 and 62.7 +/- 10.9 kg respectively. A greater proportion of women (65.0%) reported dissatisfaction with their body weight. Patients with higher BMI generally reported greater dissatisfaction with body weight compared to those with lesser BMI (p = 0.090). There was no significant difference in the glycaemic control of patients who were satisfied or dissatisfied with their weight (p = 0.839). There was also no significant association between body weight satisfaction and diet (p = 0.957), physical activity (p = 0.517) or both (p = 0.734). CONCLUSION: This study implies that body weight satisfaction alone is not a strong factor that may drive type 2 diabetic patients to control their body weight.

Chocolate: food for moods.

INTRODUCTION: Chocolate is a popular food and its consumption has long been associated with enjoyment and pleasure. The effect of chocolate on mood too has long been recognised. Chocolate is thought to have interactions with neurotransmitters which contribute to mood modulation and appetite regulation. However, the evidence in chocolate and mood studies remains highly controversial. As more is known about the influence of chocolate on mood, the reasons for these effects appear increasingly complex and inter-related. METHODS: We reviewed chocolate's properties and the principal hypotheses addressing its mood altering propensities. RESULTS: The relationship between chocolate and mood are highly complex, combining psychopharmacological components, nutritional and sensory characteristics of the food. Individual and situational differences on chocolate consumption may also exert influence on mood and the mixed results in previous research indicate that the direction of the association remains unclear. CONCLUSION: The association between chocolate consumption and emotions warrants further multi-prong investigations to substantiate chocolate's mood alterating propensity.

The feasibility, reliability and validity of the Malay McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire--Cardiff Short Form (MMQOL-CSF) in Malaysian advanced cancer population.

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessment is important in healthcare outcomes. This study aimed to determine the feasibility, reliability and validity of the Malay McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire--Cardiff Short Form (MMQOL-CSF) in advanced cancer population. Patients either completed the MMQOL-CSF alone or in addition to its long version. The study recruited 116 participants (average age = 44 years old). On average, MMQOL-CSF was completed in 5.4 minutes. Most domains showed evidence of reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.76-0.92). Correlation with its long version was moderate to strong (r(s) = 0.54-0.87). The MMQOL-CSF was a feasible, reliable and valid HRQoL instrument in this population.