Nutritional Status and Its Determinants in Haematological Cancer Patients in Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Malnutrition is a common and clinically significant complication in patients with haematological malignancies, yet data from sub-Saharan Africa remain scarce. This study assessed the prevalence and determinants of malnutrition, including sarcopenic obesity, and examined the mediating role of symptom burden between clinical exposures and nutritional status among Nigerian patients with haematological cancers.Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 81 adult patients with haematological malignancies. Nutritional status was assessed using the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), alongside anthropometric measures, the ESAS, and SARC-F screening tool. Sarcopenic obesity was defined as the coexistence of obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) and low MUAC (<24 cm). The Chi-square, Spearman correlation analyses, multivariable linear and ordinal logistic regression were statistical methods employed. Results: The mean age was 51 ± 17.19 years, and 50.6% were female. According to PG-SGA, 35.8% were well nourished, 27.2% moderately malnourished, and 37.0% severely malnourished. Sarcopenic obesity was identified in 4.9% of the cohort (4/81), representing 50% of all obese patients. Malnutrition was significantly associated with age (p=0.007), occupation (p=0.044), income (p=0.034), ECOG performance status (p<0.001), blood transfusion (p=0.010), splenomegaly (p=0.034), hepatomegaly (p=0.007), BMI (p=0.006), MUAC (p<0.001), ESAS (p<0.001), and SARC-F (p=0.002). Conclusion: Malnutrition affects nearly two-thirds of Nigerian patients with haematological cancers and is strongly driven by poor performance status and symptom burden. Sarcopenic obesity, though less prevalent, affects half of all obese patients and may mask underlying lean mass depletion. Early nutritional screening and integrated symptom management should be embedded in haematological oncology care in Nigeria.