Physical activity among cancer survivors and those with no history of cancer- a report from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2006.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional analysis of national survey (NHANES) data with accelerometer measures
What was done
Analyzed accelerometer-measured physical activity data from participants in the 2003–2004 and 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The study compared adherence to CDC physical activity guidelines between five-year cancer survivors and individuals without a cancer history using multiple logistic regression adjusting for sex, age, race, education, and chronic conditions.
What was found
95.5% of five-year cancer survivors and 87.3% of individuals with no cancer history did not meet CDC physical activity guidelines. After adjusting for covariates, cancer survivors were 1.7 times more likely (95% CI: 1.0, 2.9) than those with no cancer history to fail to meet the guidelines.
Why it matters
This study uses objective accelerometer data to demonstrate widespread physical inactivity in the general population, which is even more pronounced among long-term cancer survivors who may benefit from tailored interventions.
Limits
The total sample size is not stated in the abstract. The cross-sectional design cannot establish causality or determine whether physical inactivity preceded the cancer diagnosis. Specific cancer types, stages, treatments, and accelerometer compliance details are not provided in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Overall physical activity levels among post-treatment cancer survivors are roughly similar to physical activity levels in the general population.