title: Impact of a behavioral weight loss intervention on comorbidities in overweight and obese breast cancer survivors.
abstract: Comorbid medical conditions are common among breast cancer survivors, contribute to poorer long-term survival and increased overall mortality, and may be ameliorated by weight loss. This secondary analysis evaluated the impact of a weight loss intervention on comorbid medical conditions immediately following an intervention (12 months) and 1-year postintervention (24 months) using data from the Exercise and Nutrition to Enhance Recovery and Good health for You (ENERGY) trial-a phase III trial which was aimed at and successfully promoted weight loss.
  
  
  
  ENERGY randomized 692 overweight/obese women who had completed treatment for early stage breast cancer to either a 1-year group-based behavioral intervention designed to achieve and maintain weight loss or to a less intensive control intervention. Minimal support was provided postintervention. New medical conditions, medical conditions in which non-cancer medications were prescribed, hospitalizations, and emergency room visits, were compared at baseline, year 1, and year 2. Changes over time were analyzed using chi-squared tests, Kaplan-Meier, and logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  
  At 12 months, women randomized to the intervention had fewer new medical conditions compared to the control group (19.6 vs. 32.2 %, p < 0.001); however, by 24 months, there was no longer a significant difference. No difference was observed in each of the four conditions for which non-cancer medications were prescribed, hospital visits, or emergency visits at either 12 or 24 months.
  
  
  
  These results support a short-term benefit of modest weight loss on the likelihood of comorbid conditions; however, recidivism and weight regain likely explain no benefit at 1-year postintervention follow-up.
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 East 17th Place, MS F519, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA. rebecca.sedjo@ucdenver.edu.
authors.forename: Rebecca L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Sedjo
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Shirley W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Flatt
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 East 17th Place, MS F519, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Byers
authors.affiliation: Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8100, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Graham A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Colditz
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1824 6th Avenue, Wallace Tumor Institute, Rm. 310D, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Demark-Wahnefried
authors.affiliation: Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, 650 Charles Young Drive South, Room A2-125 CHS, Los Angeles, 90095, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ganz
authors.affiliation: Coeus Health LLC, 222 Merchandise Mart Pl, Suite 1230, Chicago, IL, 60654, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Wolin
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 East 17th Place, MS F519, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1824 6th Avenue, Wallace Tumor Institute, Rm. 310D, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Krontiras
authors.affiliation: Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8100, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Jingxia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8100, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naughton
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Bilgé
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pakiz
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 East 17th Place, MS F519, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Cheryl L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Rock
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D050177:Overweight / Q000628:therapy*; D017741:Survivors; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Breast cancer survivorship; Comorbid conditions; Weight loss