title: [Associations between vegetables and fruit intake and quality of life in breast cancer patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the associations between vegetables and fruit intake and quality of life in breast cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 3 344 community breast cancer patients were selected through cluster sampling method between April and July 2013, in Shanghai, China. Data were collected using a questionnaire, which included socio-demographic situation, cancer survival and health behaviors(i.e. vegetables or fruit intake, exercise), European Organization for Research and Treatment (EORTC) QLQ-C30 Simplified Chinese version(3rd edition) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy scale (FACT-G) Simplified Chinese version(4th edition) were used to evaluate the quality of life. Crude quality of life scores were compared between groups. Multiple linear models were used to calculate and compare adjusted means of quality of life between groups, controlling relevant factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting relevant factors, breast cancer patients who ate more than 250 g vegetables reported higher EORTC physical functioning scores, cognitive functioning scores, emotional functioning scores, global health scores than patients who ate equal or less than 250 g vegetables(respectively (80.79 ± 0.85) vs (79.34 ± 0.82), (80.07 ± 1.03) vs (77.84 ± 0.99), (84.17 ± 0.95) vs (82.76 ± 0.92), (65.75 ± 1.50) vs (62.92 ± 1.45)), t values respectively were 2.76, 3.54, 2.40, 3.17, all P values were <0.05; and breast cancer patients who ate more than 250 g vegetables reported higher FACT-G social well-being scores, function well-being scores, FACT-G total scores than patients who ate equal or less than 250 g vegetables (respectively (17.92 ± 0.40) vs (17.31 ± 0.39), (14.86 ± 0.42) vs (14.34 ± 0.40), (74.78 ± 1.01) vs (73.05 ± 0.97)), t values respectively were 2.49, 2.05, 2.90, all P values were <0.05. After adjusting relevant factors, breast cancer patients who ate fruit everyday reported higher EORTC physical functioning scores, role functioning scores, cognitive functioning scores, emotional functioning scores, social functioning scores, global health scores than patients who didn't eat fruit everyday (respectively (80.40 ± 0.82) vs (79.22 ± 0.87), (89.81 ± 1.00) vs (88.06 ± 1.05), (79.78 ± 0.99) vs (77.11 ± 1.04), (84.43 ± 0.92) vs (81.56 ± 0.97), (77.95 ± 1.25) vs (75.56 ± 1.31), (65.48 ± 1.44) vs (61.74 ± 1.51)), t values respectively were 2.15, 2.64, 4.07, 4.71, 2.89, 4.02, all P values were <0.05; and breast cancer patients who ate fruit everyday reported higher FACT-G physical well-being scores, social well-being scores, emotional well-being scores, functional well-being scores, FACT-G total scores than patients who didn't eat fruit everyday(respectively (23.35 ± 0.26) vs (22.85 ± 0.28), (17.91 ± 0.39) vs (16.98 ± 0.41), (18.59 ± 0.22) vs (18.18 ± 0.23), (14.79 ± 0.40) vs (14.17 ± 0.42), (74.71 ± 0.97) vs (72.17 ± 1.02)), t values respectively were 2.92, 3.65, 2.91, 2.35, 4.05 , all P values were <0.05.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are active associations between vegetables / fruit intake and quality of life in breast cancer patients. Proper diet may help improve quality of life in breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Epidemiology, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Jiwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xuefen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Changhong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Qingyun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhengping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Email: jmy@fudan.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jinming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D002681:China; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables