Loss of appetite or weight during cancer treatment

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.