Effect of Combining Impact-Aerobic and Strength Exercise, and Dietary Habits on Body Composition in Breast Cancer Survivors Treated with Aromatase Inhibitors

Marisol Garcia-Unciti; Natalia Palacios Samper; Sofía Méndez-Sandoval; Fernando Idoate; Javier Ibáñez-Santos

doi:10.3390/ijerph20064872

Effect of Combining Impact-Aerobic and Strength Exercise, and Dietary Habits on Body Composition in Breast Cancer Survivors Treated with Aromatase Inhibitors

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Mar 10;20(6):4872. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20064872.

Authors

Marisol Garcia-Unciti^{1

2

3}, Natalia Palacios Samper^{4

5

6}, Sofía Méndez-Sandoval¹, Fernando Idoate⁷, Javier Ibáñez-Santos⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Navarra, Campus Universitario, 31008 Pamplona, Spain.
² Center for Nutrition Research, University of Navarra, c/Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Spain.
³ Navarra Institute for Health Research (IdiSNA), 31008 Pamplona, Spain.
⁴ Centro de Estudios, Investigación y Medicina del Deporte (CEIMD), Gobierno de Navarra, 31005 Pamplona, Spain.
⁵ Department of Gerontology and Public Health, Faculty of Health Science, University of Jyväskylä, Seminaarinkatu 15, Jyväskylän Yliopisto, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland.
⁶ Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Science, Public University of Navarre, Av. Cataluña, s/n, 31006 Pamplona, Spain.
⁷ Servicio de Radiología de la Mutua Navarra, 31012 Pamplona, Spain.

Abstract

This study examines both the effect of a twice-weekly combined exercise-1 h session of strength and 1 h session of impact-aerobic-on body composition and dietary habits after one year of treatment with aromatase inhibitors (AI) in breast cancer survivors. Overall, forty-three postmenopausal women with a BMI ≤ 35 kg/m², breast cancer survivors treated with AI, were randomized into two groups: a control group (CG) (n = 22) and a training group (IG) (n = 21). Body composition, i.e., abdominal, visceral, and subcutaneous adipose tissue) was measured by magnetic resonance. In addition, some questionnaires were used to gather dietary data and to measure adherence to the Mediterranean diet. After one year, women in the IG showed a significant improvement in body composition, indicated by decreases in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue, and total fat tissue. Furthermore, the dietary habits were compatible with moderate adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern and a low dietary intake of Ca, Zn, Folic Ac, and vitamins D, A, and E. A twice-weekly training program combining impact aerobic exercise and resistance exercise may be effective in improving the body composition for postmenopausal women who have breast cancer treated with AI, and the results suggest the need for nutritional counselling for this population.

Keywords: aromatase inhibitors; body composition; breast cancer survivors; combined exercise; dietary habits; impact-aerobic exercise; strength exercise.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aromatase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
Body Composition
Breast Neoplasms* / therapy
Cancer Survivors*
Exercise
Feeding Behavior
Female
Humans

Substances

Aromatase Inhibitors

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the Fundación Bancaria Caja Navarra, Grant No. 70673. Fundación Bancaria Caja Navarra had no role in the design, analysis, or writing of this article.