Background: Registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) are integral to establishing personalized nutritional plans but are a limited resource at cancer centers. While optimizing lifestyle changes during the cancer continuum can be challenging for many patients, nutrition and wellness classes facilitated by RDNs could improve access to health education. The study describes a series of classes focused on healthful eating offered by the Section of Oncology Nutrition at Atrium Health’s Levine Cancer Institute (AHLCI). Methods: Annual in-person and virtual class attendance was recorded over a 7-year period from January 2016 through December 2022. In 2022, satisfaction and accessibility were evaluated via an electronic survey sent to class attendees. Descriptive statistics were utilized to analyze the experiences of the Nutrition and Wellness Education Program. Results: Six classes are offered monthly including Breast Cancer Nutrition, Healthy Cooking Club, Heart Healthy Nutrition, Hot Topics in Nutrition, Meal Planning Workshop, Nine Nutrition Steps for Survivors, and Plant-Based Nutrition. The curriculum of Healthy Cooking Club and Hot Topics in Nutrition changes monthly, but all other curriculums are consistent. Classes before 2020 were offered virtually and in-person, which allowed for a quick transition to exclusively virtual classes in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Class attendance increased by 302% throughout the studied period, including 2343 attendees in 2022 (Figure 1). Ninety-one patients completed the electronic survey in 2023, of which 80 (88%) reported being either “very satisfied” or “extremely satisfied” with the nutrition classes. The most common feedback regarding accessibility was to “increase virtual options” and to “record classes,” highlighting the growing demand for flexible learning options. Conclusions: RDN-led nutrition classes are a valuable resource for cancer patients to optimize healthy lifestyles. Virtual education increases patient participation and engagement. Direct feedback from participants is essential to improve curriculum and patient access. Future studies should evaluate the effectiveness of such programs on long-term patient wellness and explore the impact of recorded classes or live streams on patient engagement and knowledge retention, which could further guide program expansion.
HSR25-158: FIGURE.
Citation: Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network 23, 3.5; 10.6004/jnccn.2024.7306
