Research reveals that physical activity is associated with better quality of life in rural Australian cancer survivors

Recent research led by Monash Rural Health reveals that increased physical activity and lower body mass index are associated with significantly better quality of life among those receiving cancer care in rural Australia.

Lead researcher Dr Michael Leach was drawn to this research due, firstly, to his long-standing view of patients as holistic individuals with needs beyond clinical treatment and, secondly, to his past work on quality improvement and research projects across rural cancer services. The topic of cancer-related quality of life in rural Australia also holds significant personal meaning to Michael, as his late mother was a rural Australian cancer survivor, and he has discovered a lack of research in this area.

“Previously, few studies investigated quality of life specifically among rural cancer survivors, and none had assessed the associations of quality of life with key lifestyle factors—physical activity and obesity—among rural survivors of any tumour type.”

The study, involving 103 cancer survivors receiving care at a rural hospital in Baw Baw Shire, West Gippsland, found that:

  • Nearly half of the participants had low quality of life, defined as a score no greater than 16 out of 28 on the 7-item Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – General (FACT-G7) scale.
  • A lack of energy was the main quality of life issue identified by participants
  • 41% of participants were living with obesity, defined as a body mass index of 30 or more kg/m2
  • 35% of participants had sufficient physical activity
  • Living with obesity was associated with a significantly worse quality of life while sufficient physical activity was associated with significantly better quality of life
  • Living with obesity was associated with experiencing more pain while sufficient physical activity was associated with having more energy.

This research has revealed the need to improve physical activity, weight management and quality of life in rural Australian cancer survivors. According to Dr Leach:

“Potential ways to achieve this could involve staff at rural cancer services creating targeted supportive care interventions for rural cancer survivors.  For example, health coaching programs focused on physical activity and weight management could be designed with allied health professionals such as dietitians and exercise physiologists.”

An existing health coaching program, called the I.CAN program, is offered by the West Gippsland Healthcare Group to cancer survivors in the Baw Baw Shire. This program is run by a dietician and an exercise physiologist and provides tailored nutrition and physical activity guidance to people living with cancer before and after they receive treatment. The I.CAN program has shown some promising results in a past study.

Dr Leach is continuing with further research in this area by exploring rural cancer survivors’ food choices in relation to obesity, physical activity and quality of life.

Read full article, published in Supportive Care in Cancer:
Physical activity, obesity, and quality of life among rural Australian cancer survivors: a cross-sectional study.