Effect of Chemotherapy on Dietary Glycemic Index and Load in Patients with Breast Cancer and Their Relationships to Body Fat and Phase Angle

Abstract

Dietary glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) are indicators of carbohydrate consumption and widely used in studies evaluating the risk for breast cancer. However, the effect of chemotherapy on these indices has been scarcely studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate dietary levels of GI and GL in women with breast cancer during chemotherapy treatment and their relationships to body fat and phase angle. Twenty-five patients were assessed according to demographic, clinical, anthropometric, and food consumption data. Dietary intake was assessed by 24-h dietary recalls applied on nonconsecutive days. Anthropometric measures and body composition were determined at all study timepoints: prior to the first chemotherapy cycle (T0), immediately after the last chemotherapy cycle (T1), and 2 months after T1 (T2). There was no difference in mean GI and GL among study timepoints. However, a high prevalence of inadequate GI and GL values was noted, independent of study timepoint. GI and GL were associated with phase angle at T1. GI was associated with percentage fat at T0 only. Dietary GI and GL were unchanged during chemotherapy, but were associated with indicators of clinical outcome, such as percentage fat and phase angle.