why choose us

300×250 Ad Slot

Research Article: Association between nutritional literacy and cancer anorexia among gastrointestinal cancer patients: a moderated mediation analysis on the roles of self-efficacy and family support

Date Published: 2026-07-09

Abstract:
To test the relationship between nutritional literacy, self-efficacy, family support and cancer anorexic behavior among patients with gastrointestinal cancer undergoing chemotherapy. And examine the moderating role of family support on the relationship between nutritional literacy and self-efficacy. Using convenience sampling, 248 patients with gastrointestinal cancer undergoing chemotherapy were recruited from the Oncology Center of a Grade A Level 3 general hospital in Henan Province, China, between June and November 2025. Data analysis was performed by SPSS 27.0, while PROCESS macro v5.0 was used to test the moderated mediation model. Nutritional literacy mediated by self-efficacy was positively associated with anorexic behavior score ( ? = 0.334, t = 6.156, P <0.001). Family support played a positive moderating role in the relationship between nutritional literacy and self-efficacy ( ? = 0.051, t = 4.704, P <0.001). When family support was high, nutritional literacy had a stronger association with self-efficacy. This study found that nutritional literacy among patients with gastrointestinal cancer is directly associated with cancer anorexic behavior and indirectly associated with it through self-efficacy. Furthermore, family support moderates the relationship between nutritional literacy and self-efficacy. Moving forward, interventions should be implemented on three fronts—improving patients’ nutritional literacy, strengthening their sense of self-efficacy, and enhancing family support systems—to alleviate cancer-related anorexia, improve nutritional status, and enhance quality of life.

Introduction:
In 2023, the global incidence of cancer reached 18.5 million cases, projected to rise to 30.5 million by 2025, making it a major public health challenge threatening human health ( 1 ). Among these, gastrointestinal cancer accounts for over one-quarter of all cancer cases worldwide, constituting a significant component of the global cancer burden ( 2 ). Chemotherapy is one of the most commonly used and effective therapeutic modalities for gastrointestinal cancer, which can significantly improve overall survival…

Read more

300×250 Ad Slot