Due to a paucity of studies , and the heterogeneity of the studies included in this review , we are unable to draw conclusions regarding the effectiveness of nutritional interventions for use with childhood cancer survivors .
Although there is low quality evidence for the improvement in health behaviours using health behaviour change interventions , there remains no evidence as to whether this translates into an improvement in dietary intake .
There was also no evidence that the studies reduced the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders in childhood cancer survivors , although no evidence of effect is not the same as evidence of no effect .
BACKGROUND Childhood cancer survivors are at a higher risk of developing health conditions such as osteoporosis , and cardiovascular disease than their peers .
Health-promoting behaviour , such as consuming a healthy diet , could lessen the impact of these chronic issues , yet the prevalence rate of health-protecting behaviour amongst survivors of childhood cancer is similar to that of the general population .
Targeted nutritional interventions may prevent or reduce the incidence of these chronic diseases .
OBJECTIVES The primary aim of this review was to assess the efficacy of a range of nutritional interventions design ed to improve the nutritional intake of childhood cancer survivors , as compared to a control group of childhood cancer survivors who did not receive the intervention .
Feasibility of implementing health promotion interventions to improve health‐related quality of life
Survivors of childhood cancer are a growing and vulnerable population . Cure rates for pediatric cancers now exceed 60 % and , by the year 2000 , an estimated 1 of every 1,000 young adults will be a cancer survivor . Because this population is at increased risk for late medical and neoplastic complications that impact adversely on health‐related quality of life , it is important to investigate methods to promote risk reduction by motivating survivors to practice health‐promoting behaviors . With this background , we initiated a prospect i ve , r and omized , controlled feasibility study in which survivors attending a long‐term follow‐up clinic were r and omized  to receive st and ard care or st and ard care plus an educational intervention . Our objectives were to determine if the intervention would improve the survivors ' knowledge about their cancer treatment and risks of late effects and increase their practice of health‐protective behaviors . Since July 1995 , 272 of 318 families ( 86 % ) approached about the study agreed to participate . Of these , 266 are evaluable for assessment of baseline knowledge and health behaviors . Demographic features , baseline knowledge , health perceptions and health behaviors did not differ among r and omized groups . Assessment of the intervention 's efficacy at changing health behaviors of survivors r and omized to the intervention group will be available when the 1‐year follow‐up evaluations are completed for the study cohort . Our preliminary experience with this pilot study supports the feasibility of educational intervention research in a specialty clinic dedicated to monitoring long‐term childhood cancer survivors . Int . J. Cancer Suppl . 12:138–142 , 1999 . © 1999 Wiley‐Liss ,
Due to a paucity of studies , and the heterogeneity of the studies included in this review , we are unable to draw conclusions regarding the effectiveness of nutritional interventions for use with childhood cancer survivors .
Although there is low quality evidence for the improvement in health behaviours using health behaviour change interventions , there remains no evidence as to whether this translates into an improvement in dietary intake .
There was also no evidence that the studies reduced the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders in childhood cancer survivors , although no evidence of effect is not the same as evidence of no effect .
BACKGROUND Childhood cancer survivors are at a higher risk of developing health conditions such as osteoporosis , and cardiovascular disease than their peers .
Health-promoting behaviour , such as consuming a healthy diet , could lessen the impact of these chronic issues , yet the prevalence rate of health-protecting behaviour amongst survivors of childhood cancer is similar to that of the general population .
Targeted nutritional interventions may prevent or reduce the incidence of these chronic diseases .
OBJECTIVES The primary aim of this review was to assess the efficacy of a range of nutritional interventions design ed to improve the nutritional intake of childhood cancer survivors , as compared to a control group of childhood cancer survivors who did not receive the intervention .