Factors impacting physical activity among post-treatment pediatric cancer survivors with overweight and obesity

Nashira I Brown; Rachel Sauls; Maria Almendares; Heewon L Gray; Marilyn Stern

doi:10.1007/s00431-024-05584-6

Factors impacting physical activity among post-treatment pediatric cancer survivors with overweight and obesity

Eur J Pediatr. 2024 Apr 26. doi: 10.1007/s00431-024-05584-6. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Nashira I Brown¹, Rachel Sauls^{2

3}, Maria Almendares^{2

3}, Heewon L Gray³, Marilyn Stern^{4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Outcomes and Behavior, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA.
² Department of Non-Therapeutic Research Office, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA.
³ College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
⁴ Department of Health Outcomes and Behavior, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA. mstern1@usf.edu.
⁵ Department of Child and Family Studies, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA. mstern1@usf.edu.

PMID: 38668797
DOI: 10.1007/s00431-024-05584-6

Abstract

Background: Pediatric cancer survivors (PCS) with overweight and obesity are at risk for various secondary chronic diseases. Although previous research has found physical activity (PA) as beneficial after treatment, the PA levels are low among PCS, highlighting the need for lifestyle interventions targeting PA.

Methods: A secondary analysis of preliminary baseline data from a multi-site trial, NOURISH-T + , a healthy lifestyle intervention for PCS with overweight and obesity, and their caregivers, was conducted to assess factors related to PCS PA (i.e., moderate to vigorous intensity PA, MVPA). Kendall's Tau-b was used to assess correlations between PCS MVPA, health and treatment-related factors, and caregivers' sedentary behavior and MVPA. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was used to assess the differences between PCS and caregiver sedentary behavior and MVPA. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of PCS MVPA.

Results: Seventy-three PCS-caregiver dyads were included in this analysis (N = 146). Many of the PCS were female, diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, stage 1, with a mean body mass index (BMI) percentile of 94.4 ± 4.7. Caregivers were female and parents to the PCS. Significant correlations were found between PCS MVPA, time since treatment, PCS weight change since COVID, caregiver sedentary behavior and MVPA. Significant differences were observed between PCS and caregiver sedentary behavior and MVPA. Household income, radiation treatment, and caregiver MVPA were significant predictors of PCS MVPA. Conclusions: Demographics, cancer treatment type, and caregiver role modeling are important factors to consider when developing future lifestyle interventions for PCS. (NCT04656496, registered 12-07-2020).

What is known: • Parents/caregivers are presumed to be a potential influence on their children's physical activity What is new: • Parents/caregivers' moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is the strongest predictor of their children's (pediatric cancer survivors') physical activity.

Keywords: Cancer; Obesity; Pediatrics; Physical activity.

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04656496

Abstract

Associated data

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