Nestlé and WSSO cancer nutrition initiative: Overview
- Nestlé and the WSSO are developing global cancer nutrition recommendations for surgery
- Malnutrition affects up to 70% of cancer patients worldwide
- Preoperative nutritional support can reduce complications, infections and readmissions after surgery
- Expert guidance aims to standardise nutrition across surgical care pathways globally
- Initiative reflects expanding food industry focus on health and wellness sectors
Nestlé has joined forces with the World Society of Surgical Oncology (WSSO) to improve nutritional care for cancer surgery patients.
The first-or-its-kind initiative will bring together 15 medical experts from across the world to develop practical guidance to help healthcare providers identify patients at risk of malnutrition, and provide timely nutritional support before and after surgery.
“This global initiative can help put nutrition where it belongs: at the centre of cancer surgery,” says Dr Sara Colombo Mottaz, head of the Medical, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Unit at Nestlé. “By improving diagnosis for malnutrition and providing the right nutritional support, we can help achieve better outcomes for patients while helping to reduce pressure on healthcare systems.”
Tackling malnutrition in cancer care
Malnutrition, says Nestlé, affects up to 70% of cancer patients.
The disease and its treatments can impact appetite, nutrient absorption and metabolism, leaving many patients nutritionally vulnerable at a time when their bodies face increased demands from surgery and recovery.
Appropriate nutritional support before an operation could reduce the risk of complications and infections as well as the length of hospital stays and unplanned readmissions.
“We know that nutritional care can contribute to better outcomes for patients undergoing cancer surgery, but it is not yet consistently part of surgical care,” says Dr Rodrigo Pinheiro from the WSSO. “Through this collaboration, we aim to help translate the evidence into practical recommendations that can improve care for patients worldwide.”
The collaboration comes as food and beverage manufacturers expand their presence in healthcare and nutrition, moving beyond traditional food products and into more specialised health solutions.
Nutrition at the centre of care
As consumers, healthcare providers and policymakers place greater emphasis on preventative health, manufacturers are becoming increasingly active in areas such as medical nutrition, healthy ageing, gut health and weight management.
Partnerships with researchers, healthcare organisations and patient groups are becoming a growing part of that strategy.
And, as the boundaries between food, nutrition and healthcare continue to blur, collaborations such as this are likely to become an increasingly important part of how companies drive innovation and impact.
