A neglected nutritional lifeline: How understanding caregivers means better supporting patients with cancer

When a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, family and friends often step in to provide day-to-day care and support. While many of these informal caregivers do not have healthcare training, they are nevertheless a key part of the patient’s support system. Too often, however, their role and experiences are overlooked. Now, Danone Research & Innovation (R&I) oncology experts are using the insights gathered from a recent survey to inform positive impacts for caregivers and better outcomes for those they care for.

The 2024 Ipsos survey commissioned by Danone clearly shows the important role friends and family play during a patient’s cancer journey.¹ Ipsos European Informal Caregiver Experience survey with 1,600 caregivers, 2024 The data on cancer caregivers refer to part of the sample (1,000).

“Around 90% of caregivers manage their loved one’s medical care and health,” says Helene Blanchard, Head of Medical Affairs Oncology and Recovery at Danone R&I. “Meanwhile, around 70% provide emotional support and companionship.”²Ipsos European Informal Caregiver Experience Survey,
data on file, 2024

Caregivers and nutrition 

With malnutrition and the associated weight and muscle loss being one of the biggest challenges facing oncology patients,³Martin L, et al. J Clin Oncol. 2015;33(1):90-9., ⁴Muscaritoli M, et al. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2019;10(3):517-525. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2019;10(3):517-525., ⁵Ryan J, et al. Nutrition.2019;67-68,110539. one of the key areas where caregivers can make a positive difference is support with meal preparation and making sure the meal is consumed. According to Alena Danilova, Medical Affairs Manager at Danone R&I, “Nutritional care is a fundamental component to ensure optimal cancer care. Caregivers are a vital part of the support system – ensuring patients maintain their strength and overall physical and emotional resilience during treatment.”

“Because they’re involved in patients’ everyday lives, caregivers play a pivotal role when it comes to their nutritional care,” Helene agrees. “We know not only that 64% of patients report struggling with problems related to eating, but also that 27% turn to their friends and family for nutritional advice.⁶Blanchard et al., Support Care Cancer. 2024;32(1):S434 At the same time, 98% of caregivers report observing eating problems in their loved ones.⁷ Ipsos European Informal Caregiver Experience survey with 1,600 caregivers, 2024 The data on cancer caregivers refer to part of the sample (1,000). That’s why it’s so important to support informal caregivers as well as the patients they care for.”

Supporting the support system

While 61% of patients report being worried about weight loss during their cancer journey,⁸Ipsos European Oncology Patient Survey, 2023. 93% of their friends and family report worrying about their weight and muscle loss.⁹ Ipsos European Informal Caregiver Experience survey with 1,600 caregivers, 2024 The data on cancer caregivers refer to part of the sample (1,000).

“Weight loss can be severe enough to have a negative impact on the patient’s cancer treatment,” Helene says. “That’s obviously very concerning not only for the patient but also for the people around them. When developing medical nutrition for people with cancer, we also need to consider the role of informal caregivers, who can help to optimize the impact of this nutritional support.”

After all, 85% of patients who receive medical nutrition indicate that it helped them during their treatment journey.¹⁰Ipsos European Oncology Patient Survey, 2023. On the other hand, 42% of patients surveyed reported not having received any information about the importance of maintaining weight and muscle mass.¹¹ Ipsos European Informal Caregiver Experience survey with 1,600 caregivers, 2024 The data on cancer caregivers refer to part of the sample (1,000).

With the necessary knowledge and support, caregivers can help. “It all starts with surveys like this, which help us better understand people’s experiences and needs,” explains Camille Kwiecien, Senior UX Design Manager at Danone R&I. “Patient centricity means also considering the experiences and perspectives of people in the patient’s support network, including their caregivers. In turn, by designing effective nutritional solutions and equipping carers with the right tools and information resources, we can positively impact patient recovery and improve quality of life for them and those around them.”

To find out more about the malnutrition challenge in cancer, click here – or explore our latest work in oncology nutrition here.