European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) Position Statement on Medical Nutrition Therapy for the Management of Individuals with Overweight or Obesity and Cancer
Giovanna Muscogiuri,
Luigi Barrea,
Silvia Bettini,
Marwan El Ghoch,
Niki Katsiki,
Liisa Tolvanen,
Ludovica Verde,
Annamaria Colao,
Luca Busetto,
Volkan Demirhan Yumuk,
Maria Hassapidou
Affiliations
Giovanna Muscogiuri
Unità di Endocrinologia, Diabetologia e Andrologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
Luigi Barrea
Centro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del Paziente con Obesità (C.I.B.O), Unità di Endocrinologia, Diabetologia e Andrologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
Center for the Study and Integrated Treatment of Obesity (CeSTIO), Internal Medicine 3, Department of Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy
Marwan El Ghoch
Center for the Study of Metabolism, Body Composition and Lifestyle, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
Niki Katsiki
School of Medicine, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Ludovica Verde
Centro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del Paziente con Obesità (C.I.B.O), Unità di Endocrinologia, Diabetologia e Andrologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
Unità di Endocrinologia, Diabetologia e Andrologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
Luca Busetto
Center for the Study and Integrated Treatment of Obesity (CeSTIO), Internal Medicine 3, Department of Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy
Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey
Maria Hassapidou
Department of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, International Hellenic University, Thessaloniki, Greece
Obesity, a prevalent and multifactorial disease, is linked to a range of metabolic abnormalities, including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and chronic inflammation. These imbalances not only contribute to cardiometabolic diseases but also play a significant role in cancer pathogenesis. The rising prevalence of obesity underscores the need to investigate dietary strategies for effective weight management for individuals with overweight or obesity and cancer. This European Society for the Study of Obesity (EASO) position statement aimed to summarize current evidence on the role of obesity in cancer and to provide insights on the major nutritional interventions, including the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), the ketogenic diet (KD), and the intermittent fasting (IF), that should be adopted to manage individuals with overweight or obesity and cancer. The MedDiet, characterized by high consumption of plant-based foods and moderate intake of olive oil, fish, and nuts, has been associated with a reduced cancer risk. The KD and the IF are emerging dietary interventions with potential benefits for weight loss and metabolic health. KD, by inducing ketosis, and IF, through periodic fasting cycles, may offer anticancer effects by modifying tumor metabolism and improving insulin sensitivity. Despite the promising results, current evidence on these dietary approaches in cancer management in individuals with overweight or obesity is limited and inconsistent, with challenges including variability in adherence and the need for personalized dietary plans.
