The Impact of a Ketogenic Dietary Intervention on the Quality of Life of Stage II and III Cancer Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial in the Caribbean

Abstract

Introduction

This study sought to determine the impact of a ketogenic dietary intervention on the quality of life of stage II and III cancer patients.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial was implemented whereby patients in the treatment group followed a modified ketogenic diet (KD) utilizing medium chained triglyceride fats during a four-month period, while the control group followed an institutionalized standard traditional diet. Quality of life and mental health status was assessed using The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer current core questionnaire and The Patient Health Questionnaire. Intervention effects were assessed using repeated measures ANCOVA and multiple linear regression models.

Results

The quality of life and mental health of the cancer patients in the treatment group were greatly increased and improved due to the utilization of the diet. Most of the persons in the treatment group attained and maintained ketosis after 2 weeks. Age, gender, and state of the disease seemed to affect the keto-adaptation period in terms of the time taken to keto-adapt.

Conclusion

The KD was suitable for stage II and III cancer patients in improving their quality of life, nutritional, functional, and psychosocial statuses.

Acknowledgment

The authors wish to thank all patients for their assistance and willingness to participate in the current study.

Conflicts of Interest

None.

Author Contributions

EA, IG and KDR designed the study. EA collected the data and KDR analyzed the data. EA drafted the manuscript and all authors provided critical input and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Availability of Data

The study data will not be shared because we do not have ethical approval to do this.

Ethical Approval

Ethical approval was granted by the Ethics Review Committee of the Faculty of the Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad, W.I.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.