MONDAY, April 21 (HealthDay News) -- A healthy lifestyle may
help cancer survivors prevent recurrence of the disease and live
longer, yet cancer survivors have rates of obesity and physical
inactivity similar to those of the general population, according to
new research.
The study, published in the June 1 issue of
Cancer, found that less than one-quarter of cancer survivors
were regularly physically active, and more than 18 percent were
obese.
"We thought this might be a time when people would be
particularly motivated to exercise and control weight. But, a
cancer diagnosis and treatment didn't seem to stimulate behavior
change," said the study's lead author, Kerry Courneya, a professor
and Canada Research Chair at the University of Alberta in Edmonton,
Canada.
What's troubling is that maintaining a healthy weight and
getting regular physical exercise may be even more crucial for
cancer survivors than it is for the general public. Some studies
have suggested that physical activity and losing weight may help
prevent cancer recurrence and improve survival odds.
Additionally, some research suggests that exercise can help
reduce fatigue, improve physical functioning and improve quality of
life for some cancer survivors.
For the study, Courneya and his colleagues gathered data from
the Canadian Community Health Survey. This survey contains
information based on interviews of more than 114,000 people in
Canada. Details of cancer history, weight, height and physical
activity were all supplied by the respondents.
General population statistics for Canada find that 37 percent of
people are overweight, and 22 percent are obese, according to
background information in the study.
Fewer than 22 percent of cancer survivors reported being
physically active. The lowest rates of physical activity were found
among colorectal cancer survivors, breast cancer survivors and
female survivors of melanoma.
Thirty-four percent of cancer survivors were overweight, and
almost one in five was obese.
Obese breast cancer survivors were only about half as likely to
be physically active as obese women who hadn't had cancer, a
finding that's particularly worrisome, because poor outcomes in
breast cancer have been associated with obesity and the often
accompanying sedentary lifestyle.
"We really didn't know which way the research would go. Cancer
survivors may be more motivated at the time of their diagnosis to
make changes, but others point out that it's a very stressful time
that can take a toll and lead to the opposite effect," Courneya
said.
Kevin Stein, director of Quality of Life Research at the
American Cancer Society, said, "This is an important finding to
underscore the fact that cancer survivors need to pay attention to
their health. You've dodged a bullet for the time being, but cancer
survivors are actually at an increased risk for a number of health
conditions, including cancer recurrence.
"There is a teachable moment when someone is diagnosed. It's the
perfect opportunity to say, 'We all need to eat healthy and
exercise, but it's even more important for you as a cancer
survivor,' " he said.
Courneya added: "This is something they can do for themselves to
help beat cancer and improve quality of life. The cancer community
needs to get more involved in the promotion of healthy lifestyles
in cancer patients. Maybe a program something like cardiac
rehabilitation. The cancer community's been slower to realize the
importance of lifestyle changes after cancer diagnosis."
More information
To learn more about physical activity and cancer, visit the
American Society of Clinical Oncology.
