The effects of a clinic-based weight loss program on health-related quality of life and weight maintenance in cancer survivors: A randomized controlled trial
Abstract
Objective: The Healthy Living and Eating After Cancer Trial demonstrated that a clinic-based weight loss program reduced body weight, as compared with a waitlist control group, over 15-weeks. Here we report the impact of the weight loss intervention on health-related quality-of-life outcomes at week-15, and maintenance of weight loss to week-30. Methods: This trial randomized cancer survivors of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies (breast cancer: 76.7%) to a 15-week group-based weight loss program (n=30) or a waitlist control group (n=30). Participants were not blinded to group assignment. Participants completed a variety of health-related quality-of-life outcome measures at baseline and week-15. From week-15 to week-30, participants initially randomized to the weight loss program were followed with no additional intervention, and participants initially randomized to the waitlist control group commenced the weight loss program. Results: Over the 15-weeks, the weight loss program improved physical functioning (6.2±2.9; P=0.02; d=0.31) and reduced insomnia symptoms (−17.1±7.4; P=0.03; d=−0.30) as measured by the EORTC QLQ-C30, and sleep disturbance (−4.9±1.6; P=0.005; d=−0.40) as measured by PROMIS, compared to waitlist control. After a weight loss of 4.6±3.9 kg, from week-15 to week-30, participants who were initially randomized to the weight loss program maintained their prior weight loss (+0.6±3.5 kg) and participants who were initially randomized to the waitlist control group lost weight (−3.4±2.9 kg; P<0.001). Conclusions: In cancer survivors with overweight or obesity, a 15-week clinic-based weight loss program improved health-related quality-of-life outcomes and produced sustained weight loss to week-30.