Mukbang videos to boost appetite and quality of life in children with cancer
The Effectiveness of Mukbang in Helping Children With Cancer Hospitalized for Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy to Improve Appetite, Nutritional Status and Quality of Life: A Randomized Control Trial
This trial will test whether watching mukbang eating videos helps children with cancer who are receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy to eat more, improve their nutrition, and feel better.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 124 (estimated) |
| Ages | 6 Years to 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Sun Yat-sen University Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | chemotherapy |
| Locations | 1 site (Guangzhou, Guangdong) |
| Trial ID | NCT05922553 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is a two-arm randomized clinical trial comparing 'active ingredient' mukbang videos to general short videos in hospitalized children aged 6–18 undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Participants who have completed at least one full cycle of chemotherapy and have moderate or worse decreased appetite will be randomized to view curated mukbang content or control short videos during their hospital stay. Outcomes include measures of appetite, nutritional status (for example intake and weight) and patient-reported quality of life over the intervention period. The trial is conducted at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital in Guangzhou and excludes children with major organ dysfunction or sensory impairments that prevent viewing or listening.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Children aged 6–18 with a cancer diagnosis receiving radiotherapy or chemotherapy who have completed at least one full chemotherapy cycle and have moderate or greater appetite loss, and who can watch and hear videos, are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Children with serious cardiopulmonary disease, active infection, organ damage, genetic metabolic or immune deficiencies, significant mental illness, or vision/hearing impairments that prevent watching or hearing videos are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this low-cost, non-drug approach could help hospitalized children eat better, reduce malnutrition risk, and improve quality of life during cancer treatment.
How similar studies have performed: There is limited formal clinical trial evidence for mukbang in medical settings; related research on audiovisual food cues suggests they can stimulate appetite, but mukbang's use in pediatric oncology is largely untested.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged between 6 to 18 years old; * Children in accordance with the guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of 12 Diseases related to hematologic diseases and malignant tumors (2021 version) issued by the General Office of the National Health Commission; * At least experience one full cycle of chemotherapy; * Children with moderate or higher symptoms of decreased appetite were screened for a list of treatment-related symptoms. Exclusion Criteria: * Children with serious cardiopulmonary disease, infection, organ damage, or genetic metabolic disease, immune deficiency disease, mental illness; * Children with eye or ear dysfunction that prevents them from watching and listening to videos.
Where this trial is running
Guangzhou, Guangdong
- Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital — Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Wei Xia, PhD — Sun Yat-sen University
- Study coordinator: Wei Xia, PhD
- Email: xiaw23@mail.sysu.edu.cn
- Phone: +8618823359471
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.