SynthesisBMJ global health2025
Prevalence of undernutrition in children with cancer in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review.
Synthesis in BMJ global health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Body composition changes and nutritional challenges in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: Perspectives from low-resource settings.The Indian journal of medical research · 2026Review
- Article
- CARE study: prospective cohort study on supportive care among paediatric oncology patients in western Kenya-a study protocol.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Establish Global Nutrition Research Strategies: The Meeting Report of the First SIOP Nutrition Research Forum.Nutrients · 2026Article
- Article
- Prevalence of undernutrition at admission and associated factors among children with cancer admitted to the University Hospital of Tangier: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2026Article
- Comparison of nutritional screening tools in pediatric patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2026Article
- Nutritional status at diagnosis and follow-up and its impact on short-term clinical outcome in children with cancer: a real-world report from India.Ecancermedicalscience · 2026Article
- Evaluating a Global Clinical Nutrition Program for Pediatric Oncology in Resource-Limited Settings.Annals of global health · 2026Article
- Non-Communicable Diseases in Children: Systems-Based Approaches to Incorporating Nutrition into Medical Care.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundUndernutrition is linked to decreased survival in childhood cancer. However, its global impact remains unclear, and childhood cancer is not recognised as a high-risk factor in WHO nutrition guidelines. This systematic review quantifies the prevalence and clinical outcomes of undernutrition among children with cancer in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), highlighting the global burden and impact on children with cancer.
methodsOvid Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane and Web of Science databases were searched until September 2024. Key search terms included "developing countries", "neoplasm", "child" and "undernutrition". LMICs were classified by the World Bank data. Undernutrition was defined by the WHO and includes wasting, stunting and underweight.
findingsData from 21 646 children across 88 studies in 23 countries revealed prevalence rates ranging from 6.1% in China to 88.4% in South Africa. Nutritional assessments predominantly relied on weight-based indicators (57.0%), with mid-upper arm circumference used in 17.0% and combined methods in 27.0%. Older children (>5 years) showed a trend towards higher undernutrition prevalence rates compared with younger children. Undernutrition was associated with deteriorating outcomes in 7 out of 11 studies (p<0.05).
interpretationOur findings show the substantial burden of undernutrition among children with cancer in LMICs. Childhood cancer should be recognised as a high-risk factor in international nutrition guidelines, in order to promote equitable care and improve survival rates. Targeted intervention studies are needed, supporting the WHO's goal of 60% survival for common and curable childhood cancer types by 2030.
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