Loss of appetite is a common side effect of cancer and its treatment. It can be due to depression, pain, loss of smell and/or taste, difficulty swallowing, or an early feeling of fullness. Most causes of loss of appetite resolve with time.
Tips to increase appetite and weight during cancer treatment
Eat any time there is an urge to eat.
Add butter, whole milk, and cheese sauces to appropriate food.
Eat small amounts of a favorite food every 2 hours.
Drink beverages between meals rather than with meals.
Exercise lightly to stimulate the appetite. Talk with your doctor first.
Keep nutritious snacks available (yogurt, cheese or peanut butter and crackers, hard cooked eggs).
Add dry milk powder to foods such as cream soup and mashed potatoes.
Enjoy meals in a pleasant atmosphere with soft music and a pretty table setting.
Try special occasion foods without the special occasion.
Skip traditional foods at specific meals and eat whatever sounds good at the time.
Use plates.
Carry portable snack foods.
Choose easy to chew foods, such as applesauce, pudding or yogurt.
Eat what is appealing rather than what is healthy.
The contents of this website are for information purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not rely on the information provided for medical decision making and should direct all questions regarding medical matters to their physician or other health care provider. Use of this information does not create an express or implied physician-patient relationship.