{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]],"date-time":"2026-08-24T14:35:17Z","timestamp":1787582117293,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":71,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]],"date-time":"2026-01-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768953600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]],"date-time":"2026-01-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768953600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) aged 15\u201339 with cancer face distinct challenges during treatment, with eating consistently emerging as one of the most distressing and underrecognized concerns. At a critical life stage, AYAs must navigate illness-related consequences that profoundly affect well-being. Eating reflects these broader challenges and is identified as a key issue requiring health care attention. To address this, we synthesized evidence on AYAs\u2019 eating experiences and well-being during mealtime-related activities to inform health care practice. Qualitative and mixed-method studies were identified through searches across CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published up to May 2025, supplemented by snowball searches. Of 3214 records, 74 full-text articles were reviewed, and 18 met the inclusion criteria. These represented 302 AYAs, 73 relatives, and 88 health care professionals. Studies were analyzed using Joanna Briggs Institute review methods and GRADE-CERQual to support clinical interpretability. The meta-synthesis identified one core theme: \u201cEating as an embodied struggle and act of agency,\u201d with three subthemes: (a) living through physical and sensory disruption, (b) carrying the weight of new emotions and shifting relations, and (c) finding ways through gaps in support. Eating emerged as a disrupted, emotionally charged, yet agentic act requiring sensitive, individualized approaches. Thirteen evidence-informed recommendations were developed to guide clinical application. These emphasize early nutritional screening, dietetic support, flexible meal options, respectful family involvement, and psychosocially attuned care. Future research should codevelop and evaluate tailored interventions that address AYAs\u2019 embodied, emotional, and social needs to improve eating-related quality of life during cancer treatment.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/21565333251412395","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]],"date-time":"2026-01-21T11:33:53Z","timestamp":1768995233000},"page":"277-298","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Eating Experiences During Cancer Treatment in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Synthesis"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3520-4033","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marie Ernst","family":"Christensen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Centre for Care and Rehabilitation, Programme for Nutrition and quality of life, VIA University College, Aarhus N, Denmark."},{"name":"Danish Comprehensive Cancer Center (DCCC), Network for Adolescents and Young Adults Cancer Research in Denmark (NAYAcare DK), Aarhus N, Denmark."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rakel B.","family":"J\u00f3nsd\u00f3ttir","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland."},{"name":"Landspitali National University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sigr\u00fan Sunna","family":"Sk\u00falad\u00f3ttir","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland."},{"name":"Landspitali National University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1887-8623","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marianne Elisabeth","family":"Klinke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland."},{"name":"Landspitali National University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_3_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.6004\/jnccn.2023.0040"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_3_2","unstructured":"U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 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