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Cognitive Functioning and Health in Hispanic/Latina Breast Cancer Survivors

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Abstract

We examined the effect of waist-to-hip ratio, body mass index (BMI), diet, and physical activity on cognitive functioning among Hispanic/Latina breast cancer survivors in a cross-sectional design study. Participants were 54 Hispanic/Latina breast cancer survivors and completed the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. Linear Regression Models tested if statistically significant correlations held with covariates. After controlling for covariates, moderate and hard physical activity were not associated with cognition. However, very hard physical activity was positively associated with faster processing speed (β = 0.56, p < 0.001) and composite cognition score (β = 0.36, p < 0.05). Total time (minutes) of moderate to very hard physical activity was positively associated with cognitive flexibility (β = 0.52, p < 0.001). Total caloric intake was positively associated with episodic memory (β = 0.35 p < 0.05). BMI and WHR were not associated with cognition. These findings showed positive association with engagement in more MVPA and harder intensity physical activity to better cognitive functioning among Hispanic/Latina breast cancer survivors.

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02780271

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

National Institute of Health National Cancer Institute grant R01 CA186080-01A1; National Center Advancing Translational Sciences Awards grant UL1TR00040; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center Avon Pilot Study grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychological Science, Central Connecticut State University, Marcus White, Room 216, 1615 Stanley Street, P.O. Box 4010, New Britain, CT, 06053, USA

    Amanda M. Marín-Chollom

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Amanda M. Marín-Chollom & Heather Greenlee

  3. Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Taub Institute for Research On Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Christiane Hale & Adam M. Brickman

  4. Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Pamela Koch & Isobel Contento

  5. Cook for Your Life, New York, NY, USA

    Ann Ogden Gaffney

  6. Division of Public Health Sciences, Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA

    Hanjie Shen & Heather Greenlee

  7. Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    Dawn L. Hershman

  8. Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    Dawn L. Hershman & Heather Greenlee

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  1. Amanda M. Marín-Chollom
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Contributions

Conceptualization: AMM-C, CH, HG, AMB; Methodology: DLH, AMB, and HG; Formal analysis and investigation: AMM-C, HS; Writing—original draft preparation: AMM-C, CH; Writing—review and editing: All authors; Funding acquisition: HG, DLH. All authors were involved in the revision process and read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amanda M. Marín-Chollom.

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Conflict of interest

Authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose.

Ethical Approval

This study was approved by the Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), Teachers College at Columbia University, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Institutional Review Boards (IRB). Reference numbers for IRB: Columbia University #P0461 and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center #578.

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All participants in this study provided written informed consent.

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Marín-Chollom, A.M., Hale, C., Koch, P. et al. Cognitive Functioning and Health in Hispanic/Latina Breast Cancer Survivors. J Immigrant Minority Health 24, 597–604 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-021-01300-w

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