NEW ORLEANS – Most middle-age U.S. cancer survivors don’t meet current national physical activity guidelines, according to a large, in-depth telephone survey.
This represents an opportunity for intervention. Evidence indicates that cancer survivors who meet physical activity guidelines experience improved quality of life and health outcomes, according to Pratibha Parelkar, a biostatistician at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston.
Those guidelines call for 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity at least 5 days per week, or 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity at least 3 days per week, she noted at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.
She analyzed data from the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of the 8,665 respondents aged 45-64 years who were at least 1 year post diagnosis of breast, prostate, colon, cervix, or bladder cancer or melanoma, more than half (53%) were not meeting physical activity guidelines.
In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, several characteristics proved to be independently associated with not meeting the recommendations for physical activity. Blacks were 2.1-fold more likely than were whites to not meet the guidelines. Not being a college graduate was associated with a 39% increased risk. Subjects who were overweight were 32% more likely and those who were obese were 2.5-fold more likely than were normal-weight cancer survivors to not meet the physical activity guidelines.
Ms. Parelkar’s study was funded by M.D. Anderson. She reported having no financial conflicts.