scholarly journals Weight management barriers and facilitators after breast cancer in Australian women: a national survey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn Ee ◽  
Adele Elizabeth Cave ◽  
Dhevaksha Naidoo ◽  
Kellie Bilinski ◽  
John Boyages

Abstract Background Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Weight gain after breast cancer is associated with poorer health outcomes. The aim of this study was to describe how Australian breast cancer survivors are currently managing their weight.Methods Online cross-sectional survey open to any woman living in Australia who self-identified as having breast cancer, between November 2017 and January 2018.Results We received 309 responses. Most respondents described their diet as good/excellent and reported moderate-high levels of weight self-efficacy. Despite this, the proportion of overweight/obesity increased from 47% at time of diagnosis to 67% at time of survey. More than three quarters of respondents did not receive any advice on weight gain prevention at the time of diagnosis. 39% of women reported being less active after cancer diagnosis, and and few weight loss interventions were perceived to be effective. Facilitators were structured exercise programs, prescribed diets, and accountability to someone else, while commonly cited barriers were lack of motivation/willpower, fatigue, and difficulty maintaining weight. Women who cited fatigue as a barrier were almost twice as likely to be doing low levels of physical activity or no physical activity than women who did not cite fatigue as a barrier.Conclusions We report high levels of concern about weight gain after BC and significant gaps in service provision around weight gain prevention and weight management. Women with BC should be provided with support for weight gain prevention in the early survivorship phase, which should include structured physical activity and dietary changes in combination with behavioural change and social support. Weight gain prevention or weight loss programs should address barriers such as fatigue. More research is required on the effectiveness of diet and exercise interventions in BC survivors, particularly with regard to weight gain prevention.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn Ee ◽  
Adele Elizabeth Cave ◽  
Dhevaksha Naidoo ◽  
Kellie Bilinski ◽  
John Boyages

Abstract Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Weight gain after breast cancer is associated with poorer health outcomes. The aim of this study was to describe how Australian breast cancer survivors are currently managing their weight. Methods: Online cross-sectional survey open to any woman living in Australia who self-identified as having breast cancer, between November 2017 and January 2018. Results: We received 309 responses. Most respondents described their diet as good/excellent and reported moderate-high levels of weight self-efficacy. Despite this, the proportion of overweight/obesity increased from 47% at time of diagnosis to 67% at time of survey. More than three quarters of respondents did not receive any advice on weight gain prevention at the time of diagnosis. 39% of women reported being less active after cancer diagnosis, and and few weight loss interventions were perceived to be effective. Facilitators were structured exercise programs, prescribed diets, and accountability to someone else, while commonly cited barriers were lack of motivation/willpower, fatigue, and difficulty maintaining weight. Women who cited fatigue as a barrier were almost twice as likely to be doing low levels of physical activity (PA) or no PA than women who did not cite fatigue as a barrier. Conclusions: We report high levels of concern about weight gain after BC and significant gaps in service provision around weight gain prevention and weight management. Women with BC should be provided with support for weight gain prevention in the early survivorship phase, which should include structured PA and dietary changes in combination with behavioural change and social support. Weight gain prevention or weight loss programs should address barriers such as fatigue. More research is required on the effectiveness of diet and exercise interventions in BC survivors, particularly with regard to weight gain prevention.


2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon L. Mihalko ◽  
Samantha E. Yocke ◽  
Greg Russell ◽  
Marissa Howard-McNatt ◽  
Edward A. Levine

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 1455-1463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline O Terranova ◽  
Sheleigh P Lawler ◽  
Kym Spathonis ◽  
Elizabeth G Eakin ◽  
Marina M Reeves

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (12) ◽  
pp. 999-1009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly M Kenzik ◽  
Wendy Demark-Wahnefried ◽  
Patricia A Ganz ◽  
Graham Colditz ◽  
Cheryl L Rock ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundBreast cancer survivors rank fatigue (e.g., decreased vitality) as their number one concern affecting quality of life. Excess adiposity is associated with decreased vitality in breast cancer survivors, yet weight loss intervention trials report inconsistent effects on this parameter.MethodsThis is a secondary analysis of the Exercise and Nutrition to Enhance Recovery and Good Health for You trial, in which 692 overweight or obese breast cancer survivors ≤5 years from diagnosis, initiated weight loss interventions, and completed assessments semi-annually for 2 years. Assessments included the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire and the SF-36 MOS vitality subscale as an inverse measure of fatigue. Multilevel structural equation models estimated the direct effects of physical activity on vitality and indirect effects through body mass index (BMI) changes.ResultsWithin-person findings show that at assessments with greater physical activity, BMI was significantly lower (B = −0.07, p < 0.001) and vitality was higher (B = 0.22, p < 0.001). However, there was no direct relationship between lower BMI and higher vitality (B = −0.11, p = 0.262) after controlling for the relationship of physical activity with BMI and physical activity with vitality. The between-person indirect effect of physical activity change through BMI change to vitality was significant (B = 0.03, p < 0.001). Participants whose physical activity was above the mean (B = 0.37, p < 0.001) and whose BMI was below the mean (B = −1.05, p < 0.001) were more likely to report greater vitality.ConclusionImprovements in vitality are primarily associated with increases in physical activity rather than BMI changes in this trial. Vitality was lower among survivors with higher BMI, although within-individual changes in BMI had no effect on vitality. Physical activity and weight loss share mechanistic links to vitality with physical activity potentially increasing (e.g., in an additive or synergistic manner) the effect of BMI reduction on vitality.


2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 9572-9572
Author(s):  
Heather Greenlee ◽  
Danika Lew ◽  
Dawn L. Hershman ◽  
John P. Pierce ◽  
Lisa Kathryn Hansen ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 410-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca L. Sedjo ◽  
Tim Byers ◽  
Patricia A. Ganz ◽  
Graham A. Colditz ◽  
Wendy Demark-Wahnefried ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julianne M Power ◽  
Deborah F Tate ◽  
Carmina G Valle

BACKGROUND The use of digital tools to promote daily self-weighing and daily activity tracking may be a promising strategy for weight control among African American breast cancer survivors (AABCS). There have been no studies exploring the acceptability and feasibility of using digital tools for weight control or qualitative studies characterizing perceptions of daily self-weighing and daily activity tracking among AABCS. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore the subjective experiences of daily self-weighing and daily activity tracking using digital tools, including wireless scales and activity trackers, in a sample of AABCS participating in two technology-based weight gain prevention interventions over 6 months. METHODS Semistructured interviews (N=21) were conducted in person or over the phone, were audio recorded, and then transcribed verbatim. Each transcript was read to identify key themes and develop a codebook. Each transcript was coded using Atlas.ti software, and code outputs were used to identify overarching themes and patterns in the data. RESULTS On average, participants were 52.6 (SD 8.3) years of age, with obesity at baseline (BMI 33.1 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, SD 5.9), and weighed on 123.4 (SD 48.0) days out of the 168 days (73.5%) in the study period. Women tended to attribute their weight gain to cancer treatment and framed program benefits in terms of improved quality of life and perceptions of prolonging their survival following treatment. Using the smart scale for daily self-weighing was viewed as the tool by which participants could control their weight and improve their health and well-being posttreatment. The activity tracker increased awareness of physical activity and motivated participants to be more active. CONCLUSIONS Participants reported positive experiences and benefits from daily self-weighing and daily activity tracking. Findings suggest that daily self-weighing and daily activity tracking using digital tools are well-received, acceptable, and feasible intervention strategies for AABCS in the context of posttreatment weight management.


2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (13) ◽  
pp. 1492-1497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bette J. Caan ◽  
Jennifer A. Emond ◽  
H. Irene Su ◽  
Ruth E. Patterson ◽  
Shirley W. Flatt ◽  
...  

Purpose Hot flashes (HF) affect a large proportion of breast cancer (BC) survivors and can negatively affect their quality of life. Treatments other than estrogen replacement to alleviate HF are needed. Body weight is related to hot flashes, but little is known about the effect of weight change on HF. Patients and Methods We used data from 3,088 women previously treated for early-stage BC who were enrolled onto the Women's Healthy Eating and Living study to examine the association between weight change after a breast cancer diagnosis and the odds of reporting HF. Results Overall, 36.1% of participants reported moderate to severe HF at study entry. At 2 years postdiagnosis, 69.2% of women remained within 10%, 4.8% lost at least 10%, and 26.0% gained at least 10% of their prediagnosis weight. Those who gained at least 10% of their prediagnosis weight had a greater risk of reporting HF than women who remained weight stable in that same period (odds ratio [OR], 1.33; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.60; P = .003). Weight loss of at least 10% of prediagnosis weight was associated with a nonsignificant reduced risk (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.47 to 1.08; P = .118) of reporting HF. However, the trend of weight change (weight loss and weight gain) on HF was significant both when examined categorically (P = .03) and continuously (P < .001). Conclusion Prevention of weight gain after a BC diagnosis—a modifiable behavior—may offer a viable intervention for relief of HF. Effects of intentional weight loss in BC survivors requires further study.


2018 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 403-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne McTiernan

Weight, weight change and physical activity may affect prognosis among women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. Observational studies show associations between overweight/obesity and weight gain with several measures of reduced prognosis in women with breast cancer, and some suggestions of lower survival in women who are underweight or who experience unexplained weight loss after diagnosis. Observational studies have also shown an association between higher levels of physical activity and reduced breast cancer-specific and all-cause mortality, although a dose–response relationship has not been established. The effects of purposive dietary weight loss and increase in physical activity on survival or recurrence in breast cancer are not yet established, and randomised controlled trials are needed for definitive data. This paper presents the epidemiologic evidence on weight status, weight change, and physical activity and breast cancer survival; suggests potential mediating mechanisms; summarises evidence on weight loss interventions in breast cancer survivors; describes ongoing randomised clinical trials designed to test the effects of weight loss or physical activity on breast cancer survival; and provides information on available guidelines on weight and physical activity for cancer survivors.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document