Taste alteration, food habits and nutritional status of children survivors of childhood cancer

This study was carried out to examine the taste alteration, food habits and nutritional status of children who cancer survivors. The research is descriptive and cross-sectional. The universe of the study was formed by children between the ages of 8 and 18 who ended cancer treatment between March 2021 and 2022, followed by the pediatric hematology and oncology outpatient clinic of Gaziantep University Medical Faculty Oncology Hospital. A power analysis program was used to calculate the sample size of the study. The sample size of the study was determined as 82 children by power analysis, and 92 children who agreed to participate in the study were taken into the sample. Child Introduction Form, Taste Alteration Scale for Children with Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy (TAS-CRC), Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED), Subjective Total Taste Acuity Scale (STTA). Children between the ages of 8 and 18 who were included in the study were applied online with the Children's Introduction Form, TAS-CRC, STTA and KIDMED Google survey. Kolmogorov smirnov normality test, Scope Validity Index (CGI), mean, number and percentage distributions, Cronbach Alpha coefficient, Spearman Brown Rank Differences correlation analysis, Mann Whitney U, Kruskall Wallis and chi-square test were used in the analysis of the data. It was determined that 80.4% of children had a Body Mass Index (BMI) score between -2 and +2 (normal), 9.8% were above ≥+2 (obese) and 7.6% were under ≤-2 (malnutrition). It was determined that 18.5% of children had very poor nutritional quality (≤3), 48.9% had moderate nutritional quality (adherence to the Mediterranean diet needs to be improved) (4-7) and 32.6% had good nutritional quality (optimal Mediterranean diet) (≥8). The average score of TAS-CRC was 5.79±7.77. It was determined that there was no statistically significant difference between the weight Z score of the children, the current height Z score and the BMI Z score and the average score TAS-CRC (p>0.05).It has been determined that children who experience a taste alteration during and current taste alteration during cancer treatment. That the taste alteration does not affect the nutritional quality and nutritional status of children. Key words: Child Survivors of Childhood Cancer, Food Habits, Nutritional Status, Nursing, Taste Alteration