Are Cancer Survivors Making Health a Priority?

There are an estimated 18.5 million cancer survivors in the United States. That number is expected to increase due to the aging population, improved screening protocols and advances in treatment.

To help support health and longevity in cancer survivors, the American Cancer Society (ACS) created the Nutritional and Physical Activity Guideline for Survivors. These recommendations include following a healthy diet, avoiding alcohol and exercising regularly.

However, a recent study shows only 4% of cancer survivors fully adhere to the ACS recommendations.

“It is important to position our cancer survivors for the best quality of life and outcomes after treatment, and following the guidelines is a vital part of this,” said Sonya Pflanzer, an advanced practice professional in the Survivorship Clinic at Moffitt Cancer Center. “Sometimes it’s about translating the guideline into practical advice. Encouraging our patients to engage in exercise that brings them joy, sharing a delicious plant-based recipe or even encouraging them to make half their dinner plate vegetables can be great places to start.” 

The study found women had more healthy behaviors than men, and older age was associated with increased healthy behaviors. Black individuals had healthier behaviors than white individuals, and higher education levels were associated with more healthy behaviors.

The ACS has these general recommendations for cancer survivors:

• A nutritional assessment and counseling should begin as soon as possible after diagnosis, with the goal of preventing or resolving nutrient deficiencies, preserving muscle mass and managing side effects of treatment that may adversely affect nutritional status.
• A physical activity assessment and counseling should begin as soon as possible after diagnosis, with the goal of helping patients prepare for treatments, tolerate and respond to treatments, and manage cancer-related symptoms and treatment-related side effects.

Recommendations to improve long-term health and increase likelihood of survival:

• Avoid obesity and maintain or increase muscle mass through diet and physical activity.
• Engage in regular physical activity, with consideration for the type of cancer, patient health, treatment modalities, and symptoms and side effects.
• Follow a healthy eating pattern that meets nutrient needs and is consistent with recommendations to prevent chronic disease.

The ACS also recommends survivors follow the general advice of its Guideline for Diet and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention to reduce risk of a new cancer:

• Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight throughout life.
  • Keep body weight within a healthy range and avoid weight gain in adult life.
• Be physically active.
  • Adults should engage in 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week (or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity). Striving to meet or exceed the upper limit of 300 minutes is ideal.
  • Move more and sit less.
• Follow a healthy eating pattern that includes:
  • Foods that are high in nutrients in amounts that help achieve and maintain a healthy body weight
  • A variety of vegetables: dark green, red and orange, fiber-rich legumes and others
  • Fruits, especially whole fruits with a variety of colors
  • Whole grains
  • Limiting or eliminating red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, highly processed foods and refined grain products
• It is best not to drink alcohol.
  • People who do choose to drink should limit alcohol consumption to no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.