Abstract The authors present a proposal of a partnership between the Sociedade Brasileira de Oncologia Pediátrica (SOBOPE) and the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP) to promote the standardization and improvement of nutritional care of kids under cancer treatment in Brazil. The results of the first meeting in Brazil as well as plans for future meetings are described.

Objective:To assess the nutritional status of child and adolescent patients with cancer at diagnosis.Methods:A total of 1154 patients were included and divided into two groups: solid and hematological malignancies. The parameters used for nutritional assessment were weight, height, triceps skinfold thickness, mid-upper arm circumference, arm muscle circumference, body mass index and percentage weight loss.Results:At diagnosis, below adequate body mass index was observed by anthropometric analysis in 10.85% of the patients – 12.2% in the solid tumor group and 9.52% in the hematologic group. The average weight loss adjusted for a period of 7 days was −2.82% in the hematologic group and −2.9% in the solid tumor group.Conclusions:The prevalence of malnutrition is higher among patients with malignancies than in the general population, even though no difference was observed between the two groups.