Changing diet and exercise make a big difference after cancer

If you’re recovering from cancer, changing your diet and exercising a little more can make a big difference to your longterm survival and quality of life.

Many older people worry that their lifestyle, such as mobility and general wellness, will deteriorate after cancer treatment.  But research has found that just 5 per cent of cancer survivors follow guidelines for a healthier diet and more exercise.

A new study from Duke University and VA Medical Center in North Carolina has found that there’s plenty the older patient can do to improve his quality of life.  Researchers worked with a group of 641 older people who were overweight, and who had survived cancer for five years or longer.  Over a year, they found dramatic improvements in the quality of life of most participants, even after they had made just modest improvements to their diet or exercise levels.

(Source: Journal of the American Medical Association, 2009; 301: 1883-91).