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Associations between self-reported post-diagnosis physical activity changes, body weight changes, and psychosocial well-being in breast cancer survivors

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Abstract

Purpose

Decreased physical activity and weight gain post-breast cancer diagnosis are associated with negative psychosocial, health, and disease outcomes, but little is known about how these factors interact. The purpose of the present study was to conduct a preliminary examination of the association between post-diagnosis physical activity changes, weight changes, and psychosocial well-being in breast cancer survivors.

Methods

We examined the association between retrospectively collected, self-reported post-diagnosis changes in physical activity and body weight and post-diagnosis fatigue, anxiety, depression, stress, self-esteem, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in breast cancer survivors (N = 1,348) using univariate analyses of covariance with Bonferroni’s adjustment.

Results

After adjusting for covariates, maintaining and/or increasing physical activity post-diagnosis was significantly (p < 0.05 for all), independently associated with lower fatigue, anxiety, depression and stress and higher physical self-worth, physical, social, emotional, functional and breast cancer specific well-being and overall HRQOL (effect sizes = 0.23 to 0.60). Maintaining and/or losing weight was significantly (p < 0.05), independently associated with lower fatigue and higher physical self-worth, physical and breast cancer-specific well-being, and overall HRQOL (effect sizes = .28 to 0.87). There were no significant interaction effects between physical activity and body weight changes.

Conclusions

This study provides preliminary data to suggest that maintaining or increasing physical activity and controlling weight post-diagnosis may be independently, positively associated with psychosocial well-being and HRQOL in breast cancer survivors. In addition, weight management effects may be larger and more outcome-specific while physical activity effects may be more general. Future research is warranted to replicate and confirm these findings.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Institute on Aging Award #F31AG034025 to Siobhan M. Phillips and Award #AG020118 to Edward McAuley. Edward McAuley is also supported by a Shahid and Ann Carlson Khan endowed professorship.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest. The authors have full control of all primary data and agree to allow the journal to review these data upon request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, NorthwesternUniversity, 680 N. Lakeshore Drive, Suite 1400, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Siobhan M. Phillips

  2. Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA

    Edward McAuley

Authors
  1. Siobhan M. Phillips
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  2. Edward McAuley
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Siobhan M. Phillips.

Additional information

Initial work on this project was completed at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.

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Phillips, S.M., McAuley, E. Associations between self-reported post-diagnosis physical activity changes, body weight changes, and psychosocial well-being in breast cancer survivors. Support Care Cancer 23, 159–167 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2346-5

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