Abstract:

Introduction:
The implementation of healthy lifestyle behaviors and, particularly nutritional habits, is of notorious importance for patients undergoing a surgical intervention. The design of nutritional education programs and their implementation is therefore mandatory in a clinical setting.
The ONCOFIT project aims to determine the effect of a multidisciplinary program based on nutritional education, physical exercise and psychology on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing colon cancer resection (CCR). In this context, students of the Master' Degree in Human Nutrition at the University of Granada (UGR) were invited to contribute in the design and development of nutritional sessions within the research project staff. This action has a double purpose: learning (through the contact with senior researchers with much experience in this field of knowledge) and teaching (towards the patients enrolled in the clinical trial).

Objective:
To design and implement a nutritional education program for patients undergoing CCR as a learning-teaching tool for students of the Curricular Practices (12 ECTS) and Master' Thesis (24 ECTS) subjects within the Master' Degree in Human Nutrition at the UGR.

Methods:
Master' Degree students have participated in the design and implementation of a 4-week pre-surgical and 12-week post-operative nutritional education program for patients undergoing CCR.
Patients who met the ONCOFIT study inclusion criteria were enrolled in this clinical trial. This project is currently conducting in the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INYTA)/ Biomedical Research Center (CIBM), the Sport and Health University Research Institute (IMUDS), the General Surgery Service of San Cecilio University Hospital (Granada), and the UGR.

Results and discussion:
As a result of the integrative and collaborative work between the Master’ Degree students and the research staff of the ONCOFIT project, the following sessions have been designed and implemented in a total of 22 patients with colon cancer:
The pre-surgical program includes four sessions: 1st Mediterranean Diet, 2nd General Healthy Dietary Changes, 3rd Alcohol, Sugar and Fats, and 4th Preparation for the Surgery.
The post-operative program includes ten sessions: 1st General Post-operative Recommendations, 2nd Progression of the Diet, 3rd Common Post-surgery Problems, 4th Post Hydration, 5th Importance of Fiber and Microbiota, 6th Hygiene and Food Safety, 7th Weight Management, 8th Vitamins and Minerals, 9th Taste of life, and 10th Ultra-processed Foods.
All nutritional sessions are performed by the Master' Degree students face-to-face. Firstly, a previously designed video is projected to ensure that participants receive the same instructions (10-15 minutes). Subsequently, the Master’ Degree Students provide take-home messages and conclusions and, finally, the potential participants’ doubts are resolved.

Conclusion:
The present proposal has resulted in a very promising and productive collaboration between the research staff of the ONCOFIT study and the students of the Master’ Degree in Human Nutrition at the UGR. Both are being beneficiaries of the stablished synergy: (i) on the one hand, the ONCOFIT research project is currently developing successfully and, (ii) on the other hand, the Master’ Degree students are participating in a teaching-learning process, acquiring skills and competencies that will be highly important for their subsequent professional development.

Keywords:

Education Program, Master' Degree, Learning Tool.