University of Alberta
Presentation Abstract
Defining targeted interventions in a “one size fits all” world
Adequate intakes of energy and protein are the backbone of successful nutrition interventions before and during cancer treatment. Current oncology nutrition guidelines are provided as a “one size fits all” approach, with recommended intake ranges that only consider variability in body weight. Nonetheless, nutritional requirements of patients with cancer vary substantially and may be influenced by tumor type, stage, and treatment, among other factors. Variability in body composition can also alter nutritional needs and is often not captured by body weight alone. This presentation will discuss the capriciousness in nutritional needs during cancer disease trajectory with a focus on energy and protein requirements, and how this may impact the effect of nutrition interventions. Preliminary data from the PRIMe: Protein Recommendation to Increase Muscle (PMID: 33487262) will be discussed. This study addresses Questions 1 & 2 as it is exploring the impact of nutrition intervention (eucaloric diets at two levels of protein intake) before and during cancer treatment in patients with colorectal cancer. This is the first study in 25 years to assess 24-h whole body energy expenditure using a metabolic chamber in the context of cancer. In addition to discussing “how much” is needed, this presentation will address “how to” challenges related to achieving targeted nutrient intakes, and how these could impact outcomes.
About Dr. Prado
Dr. Carla Prado is a Professor at University of Alberta in Canada, and a Campus Alberta Innovates Program Chair in Nutrition, Food and Health. She is also the Director of the Human Nutrition Research Unit. She is an expert in assessing nutritional status through the precise measurement of body composition and energy metabolism.
The focus of her current research program is to develop targeted nutrition interventions for the prevention and treatment of low muscle mass in patients with diverse conditions. She is currently the Principal Investigator for five randomized controlled trials investigating the impact of nutrition intervention on body composition and health.
She is an Editorial Board member of Clinical Nutrition; the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle; and Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care. Dr. Prado is a past recipient of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40, an award that celebrates exceptional young Canadian leaders of all sectors, and she was recently inducted into the Royal Society of Canada, the highest academic honor in her country.
Dr. Prado disclosed the following conflicts of interest for this workshop: serving as a speaker for Abbott Nutrition, AMRA, Nestlé Health Science, and Nutricia; consulting for Pfizer.