Factors Associated with the Nutritional Status of Women with Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer in a Brazilian High Complexity Oncology Center - Article

Sep 24, 2026

Breast cancer represents a major public health burden because of its high prevalence and the risk of mortality linked to delayed diagnosis and treatment. The study aimed to assess the nutritional status of women with non-metastatic breast cancer and to determine factors associated with nutritional risk and nutritional status. A cross-sectional observational design was conducted in a high complexity oncology center in Brazil, evaluating women in stage I–III. Nutritional status was measured using BMI and skinfold thickness, while nutritional risk used NRS-2002, identifying significant relationships with educational level and BMI.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Global cancer burden

Breast cancer epidemiology and risk factors

Methods

Nutritional status assessment

Results

Conclusions

nutrients Article Factors Associated with the Nutritional Status of Women with Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer in a Brazilian High Complexity Oncology Center Roberto Jónio Gomes Silva 1, Wesley Rocha Grippa 2, Luiz Claudio Barreto Silva Neto 1, Oscar Geovanny Enriquez-Martinez 2, Jólia Anhoque Cavalcanti Marcarini 1, Raphael Manh¢es Pessanha 2, Fabiano Kenji Haraguchi 1 and Lu½s Carlos Lopes-Jónior 1,2, * Citation: Silva, R.J.G.; Grippa, W.R.; Neto, L.C.B.S.; Enriquez-Martinez, O.G.; Marcarini, J.A.C.; Pessanha, R.M.; Haraguchi, F.K.; Lopes-Júnior, L.C. Factors Associated with the Nutritional Status of Women with Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer in a Brazilian High Complexity Oncology Center. Nutrients 2023, 15, 4961 . [https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15234961](https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15234961) Academic Editors: Odysseas Androutsos and Paula Ravasco Received: 29 July 2023 Revised: 1 September 2023 Accepted: 5 September 2023 Published: 29 November 2023 Copyright: © 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ([https://](https://)[ ](https://)[creativecommons.org/licenses/by/](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[ ](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[4.0/](4.0/)) . 1 Graduate Program in Nutrition and Health, Universidade Federal do Esp½rito Santo, Vitâria 29500-000, ES, Brazil; [fabiano.haraguchi@ufes.br](fabiano.haraguchi@ufes.br) (F.K.H.) 2 Graduate Program in Public Health, Universidade Federal do Esp½rito Santo, Vitâria 29500-000, ES, Brazil; [wgripa@gmail.com](wgripa@gmail.com) (W.R.G.); [rafa.09pessanha@gmail.com](rafa.09pessanha@gmail.com) (R.M.P.) * Correspondence: [lopesjr.lc@gmail.com](lopesjr.lc@gmail.com) Abstract: Background: Breast cancer poses a signiﬁcant public health concern owing to its high prevalence and the risk of mortality associated with delayed diagnosis and treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of women with non-metastatic breast cancer and to identify factors associated with it. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted ata High Complexity Oncology Assistance Center in the southeast region of Brazil, with the aim of assessing the nutritional status in women undergoing treatment for stage I, II, or III breast cancer. Patients in palliative care or undergoing reconstructive surgery were excluded. Data collection took place between June 2022 and March 2023 and included questionnaires, physical examinations, laboratory tests, and anthropometric assessments. Nutritional status was assessed using measures such as BMI and skinfold thickness, while nutritional risk was assessed using the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002) tool. Results: Signiﬁcant associations were found between nutritional risk and educational level (p = 0.03) and BMI (p = 0.01) . Binary logistic regression analysis revealed a signiﬁcant association between educational level and nutritional risk, indicating that lower educational level was associated with higher odds of nutritional risk (OR = 4.59; 95% CI = 1.01–21.04; p = 0.049) . In addition, regarding BMI, it was observed that a BMI above 20 .5 kg/m2 was associated with a higher likelihood of nutritional risk (OR = 0.09; 95% CI = 0.01–0.89; p = 0.039) . Conclusions: It is crucial to consider the nutritional status of breast cancer patients, alongside clinical factors, to offer comprehensive and personalized care. Gaining insight into the sociodemographic variables linked to nutritional risk can signiﬁcantly contribute to our understanding of breast cancer. This knowledge, in turn, can aid in identifying effective strategies for public policy, health promotion, and prevention efforts aimed attackling this condition. Keywords: breast neoplasms; nutritional status; food; diet, food, and nutrition; risk factors 1. Introduction The World Health Organization predicts that

FAQs

What was the purpose of the study?

To assess nutritional status in women with non-metastatic breast cancer and identify factors associated with nutritional risk and nutritional status.

What design and setting were used?

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a High Complexity Oncology Assistance Center in southeastern Brazil among women treated for stage I, II, or III breast cancer.

How was nutritional status and nutritional risk evaluated?

Nutritional status was assessed using BMI and skinfold thickness, and nutritional risk was evaluated using the Nutritional Risk Screening tool (NRS-2002).

Which factors were significantly associated with nutritional risk?

Educational level and BMI showed significant associations with nutritional risk. Lower educational level corresponded to higher odds of nutritional risk, based on logistic regression results.

Sep 24, 2026

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