5 Ways Caregivers Can Help Loved Ones with Appetite Loss

Making a meal for someone you love is a way to offer support and connection, especially when they’re not feeling well. But what if your loved one isn’t hungry?

Appetite changes can happen to anyone for a variety of reasons. For people with cancer, appetite loss or anorexia may result from the cancer itself or cancer treatment.  Sometimes the mental health effects of having cancer, such as anxiety or depression, can reduce appetite too.

When appetite loss lasts for weeks to months, it can lead to fatigue, malnutrition, and too much weight loss. Not being able to take in enough nutrients like protein, vitamins, and minerals can also result in the loss of muscle as well as fat and overall weight. This condition is known as cachexia. Cancer cachexia can be life-threatening if the signs and symptoms are not recognized once they start. Problems from cachexia can slow recovery and lead to necessary breaks in cancer treatment.

“Many cancers cause patients to lose their appetite and lose weight. Treating the underlying cancer is probably the most important intervention. For many patients, minor changes in how they eat may improve caloric intake, such as small, frequent meals. Adding high-calorie foods and supplements may also be helpful,” said Biren Saraiya, MD, an oncologist at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and an American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) expert.

Talk to your loved one’s health care team

Dealing with appetite loss can be challenging for both the person experiencing it and their loved ones. It helps to understand how to support someone with little or no appetite.

Your loved one’s health care team can let you know when to expect possible appetite changes. Appetite loss may be a common side effect of one of their treatments, other medications, or their cancer. If they are in active treatment, sometimes appetite loss results from their treatment. For example, they might develop mouth sores or nausea. In these cases, eating well during treatment is the goal. Managing the underlying side effect can help a person get their appetite back.

Your health care team may recommend meeting with a registered dietitian (RD) who can help deal with appetite loss. They also provide advice on meal planning, symptom management, and getting enough calories and nutrition. Nutritional supplements may benefit your loved one as well. Guidance from a registered dietitian can help ease stress related to meal planning, especially when a person’s appetite is low.

For people with cancer who are near the end of life, appetite loss is common. The person may not want to eat or drink much, or at all, due to changes in their metabolism from having advanced cancer. Metabolism is the body’s process of breaking down food and turning it into energy. This process tends to slow down near the end of life.

Plan 5 to 6 smaller meals each day

Instead of preparing large meals, try offering your loved one several smaller meals throughout the day. Smaller meals or snacks can be more appealing to eat. They can also provide a wider variety of foods to help your loved one find something they feel interested in eating.

Sometimes appetites can vary at certain times of day. In this case, you can plan larger meals for those times when your loved one does feel hungry. Remember that people experiencing appetite loss do not need to limit how much they eat.

Stock up on favorite foods and drinks

Keep your loved one’s favorite foods, snacks, and drinks on hand for easy access. Prepare snacks and meals ahead of time so they can choose something to eat when they have an appetite.

Include high-calorie, nutrient-rich foods

Focus on including foods high in calories, protein, and nutrients into your loved one’s diet when they are experiencing appetite loss. Even if they can tolerate only small amounts, offer foods like nuts and nut butters, full-fat dairy, milkshakes, cottage cheese, avocados, pudding, and protein bars.

You can increase the calories and protein in foods by adding sauces, gravy, butter, cheese, sour cream, half and half, whipped cream, and nuts or nut butters.

Avoid conflicts around food

Keep in mind that loss of appetite is out of your loved one’s control. Trying harder to eat does not always work. Pushing them to eat more can cause conflict and make the situation worse.

“Food and feeding are universal signs of care. Many times, conflict arises among family members when a patient isn’t eating well. I try to reduce that conflict by advising families that their job is to offer choices, but it is not their job to make sure the patient eats. Families should focus on giving the patient what they want to eat when they can,” said Dr. Saraiya.

Learn more about nutrition and cancer from the American Cancer Society:

• Eating and Drinking Changes in People With Cancer
• Nutrition for People With Cancer
• Nutrition Resources from the American Cancer Society

Dr. Saraiya is a member of ASCO’s Patient Information Editorial Board.