(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- More than half of the estimated 11 million
cancer survivors in the United States are aged 65 or older. There are
relatively few studies looking at older cancer survivors' health behaviors,
but evidence suggests that many older, long-term cancer survivors have poor
diet and exercise habits.
Catherine Mosher, Ph.D., of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in
New York City, and colleagues reviewed data from 753 long-term (five or more
years post-diagnosis) breast, prostate and colorectal cancer survivors aged
65 years or over to estimate the quality of their health habits.
Participants were recruited through the North Carolina Central Cancer
Registry, the Duke Cancer Registry, and self-referral. The study included
telephone interviews to assess exercise, diet, weight and quality of life,
and to determine individuals' eligibility for a diet and exercise
intervention trial.
The researchers found that older cancer survivors, all of whom expressed
interest in a diet and exercise intervention study, generally had poor
health habits. For example, they reported an average of only 10 minutes of
moderate-to-vigorous exercise per week, falling far short of the national
recommendation of more than 150 minutes per week. Only 7 percent met
healthful eating recommendations set by national guidelines.
Not surprisingly, the study showed those survivors who exercised and watched
their diet had improved physical health and quality of life, and individuals
who were obese had worse physical quality of life.
Despite their suboptimal health behaviors, cancer survivors reported a level
of mental and physical quality of life that actually exceeded levels
typically found among older individuals in the general population. This is
explained in part by the study's design, which excluded survivors with
significant health problems and functional limitations.
"Our findings point to the potential negative impact of obesity and the
positive effect of regular exercise and a healthy diet on physical quality
of life outcomes among older, long-term cancer survivors," Dr. Mosher was
quoted as saying. "Only randomized clinical trials, however, can reveal
whether lifestyle modification improves older, long-term cancer survivors'
physical outcomes."
SOURCE: Cancer, July 1, 2009
