title: Lifestyle and quality of life in colorectal cancer survivors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As cancer survival rates improve, there is growing interest in the role of lifestyle in longer-term health and quality of life (QoL). This study examined the prevalence of health-related behaviours, and the associations between health behaviours and QoL, in colorectal cancer survivors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer within the last 5 years identified from five London (UK) hospitals (N = 495) completed a survey that included measures of fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake, physical activity, smoking status and alcohol consumption. The EORTC-QLQ-C30 questionnaire was used to index QoL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of respondents were overweight/obese (58%), not physically active (<5 bouts of moderate activity per week; 82%) and ate fewer than five portions of F&V a day (57%). Few were smokers (6%) or heavy drinkers (weekly alcohol units >21 for men and >14 for women; 8%). Physical activity showed the strongest association with functional QoL and was also associated with lower fatigue, pain and insomnia (P < 0.05). F&V intake was associated with higher global QoL and physical, role and cognitive function (P < 0.05). Using a total health behaviour score (calculated by assigning one point for each of the following behaviours: not smoking, consuming ≥5 portions of F&V a day, being physically active and having moderate alcohol consumption), there was a linear relationship with global QoL, physical function and fatigue (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high proportion of colorectal cancer survivors in the UK have suboptimal health behaviours, and this is associated with poorer QoL.
authors.affiliation: Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 6BT, UK. c.grimmett@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Chloe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grimmett
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bridgewater
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steptoe
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wardle
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*