Obesity and Weight Loss Attempts among Subjects with a Personal History of Cancer
Journal Title: Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal - Year 2014, Vol 14, Issue 3
Abstract
Objectives: Obesity is a risk factor for many cancers and obese cancer patients have a poorer prognosis. Tis study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of obesity and attempts to lose weight among cancer survivors. Te effects of cancer treatment and time since cancer treatment were also evaluated. Methods: Te 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey data were analysed between 2011 and 2013; respondents with (n = 966) and without (n = 6,093) a personal history of cancer were identifed. Each respondent’s body mass index (BMI) was calculated using self-reported height and weight measurements and categorised as normal (<25 kg/m2), overweight (25‒29.9 kg/m2) or obese (≥30 kg/m2). Results: Cancer survivors were older (mean age = 63.4 versus 44.7 years for those with no history of cancer). Overall, there were similar percentages of overweight (37.6% versus 34.1%; relative risk ratio [RRR] = 0.99; 95% confdence interval [CI]: 0.75‒1.31) and obese (31.4% versus 27.5%; RRR = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.79‒1.39) respondents among both cancer survivors and those without a history of cancer. Among overweight and obese participants, cancer survivors did not demonstrate increased weight loss attempts compared to those without a history of cancer (61.6% versus 66.3%; odds ratio = 0.94; 95% CI: 0.73‒1.20). Conclusion: A high prevalence of overweight and obese cancer survivors were identifed without any association with cancer treatment. However, cancer survivors did not demonstrate increased attempts to lose weight in comparison to those without a history of cancer despite awareness of their degree of body fatness. Increased efforts to promote the maintenance of a healthy weight among cancer survivors are needed.
Authors and Affiliations
Ambria Moten| Departments of Medicine , Howard University, Washington D.C., USA, Kayin Jeffers| Departments of Medicine , Howard University, Washington D.C., USA, Daniel Larbi| Departments of Medicine , Howard University, Washington D.C., USA, Roxanne Smith-White| Departments of Medicine , Howard University, Washington D.C., USA, Teletia Taylor| Howard University Cancer Center, Washington D.C., USA, Lori Wilson| Departments of Surgery, Howard University, Washington D.C., USA, Babafemi Adenuga| Howard University Hospital, Washington D.C., USA, Wayne Frederick| Departments of Surgery, Howard University, Washington D.C., USA& Howard University Cancer Center, Washington D.C., USA, Adeyinka Laiyemo| Departments of Medicine , Howard University, Washington D.C., USA
Keywords
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