Physical activity, activity change, and their correlates in a population-based sample of colorectal cancer survivors

Physical activity can provide benefits to cancer survivors, including reduced symptoms and treatment side effects, improved overall quality of life, and decreased risk of other chronic diseases.

The aim of the study was to describe physical activity before and after diagnosis of colorectal cancer and to examine the associations with sociodemographic and disease-related variables.

Telephone interviews were conducted with 1,996 colorectal cancer survivors recruited through a cancer registry.

In comparison to prediagnosis activity levels, there were 21% fewer participants meeting the physical activity and health guideline (150 min of moderate-intensity physical activity per week) postdiagnosis. Meeting the guideline postdiagnosis was associated with being male, living outside of the state capital city, having a higher education, having a healthy body mass index, not smoking, having had surgery only, and no reported fatigue. Attributes associated with a decrease in physical activity following diagnosis were being female, living within the state capital city, having a lower level of education, having a stoma, having adjuvant therapy, and experiencing fatigue.

There is considerable scope for targeted interventions to increase the physical activity of colorectal cancer survivors, particularly for those groups that we have identified as being less active and/or have reduced their activity.