Weight gain

Some people with cancer gain weight from frequent snacking to control nausea, or from medicines, such as hormonal therapies or corticosteroids (steroids). Some people eat more because they feel anxious about their cancer. Many reduce their activity level during diagnosis or treatment, which can also lead to weight gain.

Management

There are many things a person can do to help control weight:

• Eat a well-balanced diet including a variety of vegetables and fruit each day.
• Eat smaller portions and plan meals around vegetables, fruit and grain products. Choose fish, legumes, nuts and seeds as alternatives to meat or use lean cuts of meat.
• Replace high-fat snack foods and baked goods with lower-fat choices. Choose vegetables and fruit, low-fat yogurt, air-popped or low-fat microwave popcorn and low-fat crackers.
• Drink milk and eat yogurt, cottage cheese and sour cream that contain no more than 2% milk fat (M.F.). Try partly skimmed block or hard lower-fat cheeses with less than 20% M.F.
• Use less butter, margarine, mayonnaise and salad dressing. Choose brands that are low-fat or fat-free.
• Try not to skip meals, as this may cause overeating later. Eat at least 3 meals a day.
• Try to drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water each day.
• Moderate and regular activity may help maintain muscle mass and avoid excess body fat. Some people come up with an exercise program on their own. Others may prefer an individualized assessment by a trained exercise specialist.
• Losing weight on purpose (intentional weight loss) is not recommended during cancer treatment. Talk to the healthcare team or a registered dietitian for suggestions on how to lose weight for health if you need to, once cancer treatment is finished.