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Dyadic associations between cancer-related stress and fruit and vegetable consumption among colorectal cancer patients and their family caregivers

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Abstract

This study examined how stress from cancer affects fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) in cancer patients and their family caregivers during the year following diagnosis. Colorectal cancer patients and their caregivers (92 dyads) completed questionnaires at two (T1), six (T2), and 12 months post-diagnosis (T3). Individuals reported perceived cancer-related stress (CRS) at T1 and days of adequate FVC at T1 through T3. Both patients and caregivers reported inadequate FVC during the first year post-diagnosis. Latent growth modeling with actor-partner interdependence modeling revealed that, at T1, one’s own greater CRS was associated with one’s partner having fewer concurrent days of adequate FVC (ps = .01). Patients’ greater CRS predicted their own more pronounced rebound pattern in FVC (p = .01); both patients’ and caregivers’ CRS marginally predicted their partners’ change in FVC (p = .09). Findings suggest that perceived stress from cancer hinders FVC around the diagnosis, but motivates positive dietary changes by the end of the first year.

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Funding

This study was funded by the American Cancer Society National Home Office, intramural research to Dr. Kim, and National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant F31 CA189431-01A1 funded Ms. Shaffer's time.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA

    Kelly M. Shaffer M.S., Youngmee Kim Ph.D., Maria M. Llabre Ph.D. & Charles S. Carver Ph.D.

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Behavioral Medicine, Boston, MA, USA

    Kelly M. Shaffer M.S.

  3. Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Youngmee Kim Ph.D. & Charles S. Carver Ph.D.

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  1. Kelly M. Shaffer M.S.
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  2. Youngmee Kim Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Kelly M. Shaffer M.S..

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Conflict of interest

Kelly M. Shaffer, Youngmee Kim, Maria M. Llabre and Charles S. Carver declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and animal rights and Informed consent

All procedures performed involving participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committees and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments. Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.

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Shaffer, K.M., Kim, Y., Llabre, M.M. et al. Dyadic associations between cancer-related stress and fruit and vegetable consumption among colorectal cancer patients and their family caregivers. J Behav Med 39, 75–84 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-015-9665-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-015-9665-y

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