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Breast cancer survivors’ perspectives on a weight loss and physical activity lifestyle intervention

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to qualitatively describe the experiences of breast cancer survivors who took part in a successful 24-week lifestyle intervention aimed at weight loss. The aim was to inform future study designs and lifestyle interventions.

Methods

Nine women who completed the lifestyle intervention took part in either a focus group or telephone interviews with trained facilitators who were not involved in the delivery of the intervention. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was conducted.

Results

Women appreciated the group-based nature of the program, the presence of other breast cancer survivors, and the safe and supportive environment provided by program leaders. The intervention supported women in reframing their dietary habits, and the exercise component had unexpected benefits on their psychological wellbeing. The logistics of fitting the intervention into busy work and family schedules was a challenge experienced by most women. Recommendations for future programming included offering the intervention to all survivors immediately following adjuvant treatment, integrating participants’ social networks into the program and including a maintenance phase for sustainability of healthy behaviors.

Conclusion

This qualitative study provides insight into breast cancer survivors’ experiences in a group-based lifestyle intervention and offers suggestions for the development of future lifestyle programming in cancer care.

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Acknowledgments

Research funding for this project was provided by infrastructure funds for Dr. Kristin Campbell provided by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation BC/Yukon and the Canadian Cancer Society BC/Yukon. Dr. Lynda Balneaves was supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) New Investigator Award. Ms. Tracy Truant was supported by a CIHR Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship, a University of British Columbia Graduate Fellowship, a CIHR Psyschosocial Oncology Research Training (PORT) Fellowship, and a Canadian Nurses Foundation TD Meloche Monnex Scholarship. Sarah Neil was supported by a Canada Graduate Student Scholarship Master’s Award from CIHR and the Urban Poling Activator Award from Urban Poling.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no financial relationship with the organizations that supported this research or the investigators on this study. They have had full control of the primary data and agreed to allow the Journal of Supportive Care in Cancer to review this data, if requested.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, T201-2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada

    Lynda G. Balneaves, Tracy L. O. Truant & Mary T. Kelly

  2. British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver Cancer Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Cheri Van Patten

  3. School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Sarah E. Neil & Kristin L. Campbell

  4. Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Kristin L. Campbell

Authors
  1. Lynda G. Balneaves
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  2. Cheri Van Patten
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  3. Tracy L. O. Truant
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  4. Mary T. Kelly
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  5. Sarah E. Neil
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  6. Kristin L. Campbell
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lynda G. Balneaves.

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Balneaves, L.G., Van Patten, C., Truant, T.L.O. et al. Breast cancer survivors’ perspectives on a weight loss and physical activity lifestyle intervention. Support Care Cancer 22, 2057–2065 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2185-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2185-4

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