Weight gain after a
cancer diagnosis
In
cancer survivors, weight gain may cause the development of other diseases and
lower cancer-related survival and overall survival. What's more, cancer
survivors are at greater risk for developing second cancers and other diseases,
such as heart disease and diabetes, conditions that are clearly linked to
weight gain.
Another
problem related to weight gain and cancer is a change in body composition from
some treatments. Studies show that people with breast cancer, prostate cancer,
non-small cell lung cancer, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who receive
chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or radiation therapy to the head lose lean body
mass (muscle) as they gain weight. Although actual changes in total body weight
are small, patients often report that they are outgrowing their clothes.
Although eating too
much can cause weight gain, recent reports suggest that a decrease in physical
activity and a lower metabolic rate (the rate at which the body converts food
into energy) may be more important factors for weight gain in people with
cancer. To avoid weight gain, patients should reduce their normal calorie
intake and/or increase exercise, such as resistance training, that helps build
muscle. Talk with your doctor or other health care team member about an
appropriate plan before you begin. Learn more about physical activity and cancer.
Recommendations for
weight management
Reaching
and maintaining a healthy weight is important for everyone, including patients
undergoing cancer treatment and cancer survivors. Avoiding excess weight is
associated with cancer prevention, more effective cancer treatment, the
prevention of diseases in addition to cancer, and improved overall health and
survival.
To
avoid weight gain, it is important to be aware of your diet and make healthy
choices about food and beverages. This can be challenging because eating a
high-calorie diet is typical in the United States today. The reasons for this
include a plentiful, relatively low-cost food supply, large portions, and an
abundance of foods that are high in sugar and fat. Here are some tips to help:
- Choose
foods with lower calorie content, such as vegetables, fruits, whole
grains, and soups. Some of these foods also help a person feel
"full" faster.
- Limit
foods and beverages that are high in sugar and fat.
- Balance
the calories from foods and beverages with the amount of calories burned
through physical activity.
- Increase
levels of physical activity. Most people should aim for 30 to 60 minutes
per day of moderate-to-intense exercise on most days. However, even a
small increase in physical activity has benefits.
- People
currently overweight or obese should take steps to lose weight through
nutrition and exercise. Aim to lose 5% to 10% of your body weight as your
first goal.
Some people with
cancer have the opposite problem€” they need to gain weight. A typical cause is loss of appetite, which may be worsened by nausea,
vomiting, mouth sores, difficulty swallowing, and loss of taste. Your doctor
and a dietitian can make recommendations for adding calories and improving
nutrition. Learn more about how to manage weight loss.
Weight management tips
for cancer survivors
People
being treated for cancer or those with a history of cancer should follow the
same guidelines set for weight management for the general population.
Individualized counseling provided by a dietitian can help patients and
survivors who have completed treatment lose weight. Weight loss plans that
include exercise have also helped people with cancer avoid weight gain during
chemotherapy. Weight loss in people with cancer or cancer survivors should be
closely followed by a doctor. People should aim to lose no more than 2 pounds
each week.
Weight loss approaches
The
National Institutes of Health approach to obesity treatment includes:
A change in lifestyle
behaviors. Behaviors that both reduce the amount of food
eaten and increase the level of physical activity should be changed before
other weight loss treatments are considered. A registered dietitian, exercise
physiologist, clinical psychologist, or doctor who specializes in weight loss
can help.
Pharmacotherapy. The
use of drugs can help a person lose weight when changing diet and increasing
exercise fail.
Surgery. This
may be an option for patients with severe obesity who haven't lost weight with
other approaches.
Questions to ask a
medical professional about weight loss:
- Am I at an
unhealthy weight?
- How is my
excess weight harming my health?
- How will
losing weight improve my health?
- How much
weight do I need to lose?
- How much
weight should I lose each week?
- What
programs and treatments are available to help me lose weight?
- Can you
recommend professionals that can help me develop a weight loss program?
- Where can
I find information on healthy eating?
- Where can
I find information on exercise?
Most
hospitals and health-care organizations have professionals on staff that can
provide weight management treatment.
More Information
Managing Side Effects: Weight Gain
Risk Factors and Prevention
Additional Resources
American Dietetic Association
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention: Overweight
and Obesity
National Heart, Lung,
and Blood Institute: Obesity
and Physical Activity
Source: cancer.net
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