title: Changes in diet, physical activity, and supplement use among adults diagnosed with cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence and predictors of changes in diet, physical activity, and dietary supplement use among cancer patients. Design/subjects Telephone interviews of a population-based sample of 126 breast, 114 prostate, and 116 colorectal cancer patients from the state of Washington.
  
  
  METHODS
  Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio as a measure of the association of participant characteristics with lifestyle changes in the 12 months before the interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 66.3% of patients reported making lifestyle changes: 40.4% made one or more dietary changes, 20.8% added new physical activity, and 48.0% started taking new dietary supplements. Compared with men, women were 2.2 times more likely to take new dietary supplements (P <.01). Compared with patients aged 35 to 59, those aged 60 to 69 and 70 or older were statistically significantly less likely to make dietary changes (odds ratio = 0.39 and 0.54, respectively) or to take new supplements (odds ratio = 0.42 and 0.69, respectively). Compared with patients who received only one medical treatment, those receiving three or more treatments were more likely to make dietary changes (odds ratio = 2.6) or to start new physical activity (odds ratio = 3.0). Patients diagnosed 12 to 24 months before the interview were as likely to report making lifestyle changes as those diagnosed within one year of the interview. Having a stronger desire for personal control or internal locus of control predicted use of new dietary supplements (P for trend <.05 for both). Applications/conclusions Cancer survivors are likely to be making lifestyle changes and represent a group that could benefit from counseling on diet and physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Nutritional Sciences Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. rpatters@fhcrc.org
authors.forename: Ruth E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Marian L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Neuhouser
authors.forename: Monique M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hedderson
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Leanna J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Standish
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Bowen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors; D014861:Washington