Last Updated:
On This Page:
In 2015, 38.3% of cancer survivors aged 18 years and older reported no physical activity in their leisure time.
Introduction
As the number of cancer survivors grows and expected survival time increases, the health behaviors of these individuals is becoming an important focus of attention. Adoption or maintenance of healthy lifestyles after cancer has the potential to reduce both cancer- and non-cancer-related morbidity. Tracking these behaviors permits evaluation of how well cancer control efforts are working to reduce unnecessary disability and death among those with a history of cancer.
To enhance the length and health-related quality of life of cancer survivors, efforts are needed to encourage adequate physical activity. Physical activity may reduce the risk of several types of cancer, including breast, colon, endometrium (lining of the uterus), and advanced prostate cancers, and it may also lower a person’s risk of other health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and osteoporosis (bone thinning). Being active may also help to prevent weight gain and obesity, which can reduce the risk of developing cancers that have been linked to excess body weight.
Examination of survivors’ physical activity is new to the Cancer Trends Progress Report this year.
Measure
The percentage of cancer survivors reporting no physical activity are based on the self-reporting of individuals with a cancer history who are interviewed as part of the annual population-based National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Participants were asked how often they perform light, moderate, or vigorous activity for at least 10 minutes.
Healthy People 2020 Target
- There is no Healthy People 2020 target for physical activity among cancer survivors, though it does include a national objective to increase the mental and physical health-related quality of life of cancer survivors. However, it is reasonable to set this at the goal determined for the general population, which is to reduce the proportion of adults who engage in no leisure time physical activity to 32.6%.
Healthy People 2020 is a set of goals set forth by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Data Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. National Health Interview Survey, 1997–2015.
Trends and Most Recent Estimates
By Sex
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2015) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of cancer survivors | Confidence Interval | ||
|
Both Sexes
|
38.3 | (35.8 - 40.8) |
Male
|
38.2 | (34.2 - 42.1) | |
Female
|
39.6 | (36.5 - 42.6) | |
By Age
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2015) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of cancer survivors | Confidence Interval | ||
|
Ages 18-44
|
26.8 | (18.8 - 34.9) |
Ages 45-64
|
35.1 | (30.9 - 39.4) | |
Ages 65 and older
|
42.0 | (38.8 - 45.2) | |
Compared to Remaining U.S. Population
| Overview graph | Age Group | Cancer Survivor | Remaining U.S. Population | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of population | Confidence Interval | Percent of population | Confidence Interval | ||
|
Ages 18-44 | 29.8 | (27.0 - 32.7) | 27.9 | (27.3 - 28.6) |
| Ages 45-64 | 36.3 | (34.8 - 37.8) | 34.0 | (33.4 - 34.7) | |
| Ages 65 and older | 46.1 | (44.8 - 47.3) | 46.2 | (45.4 - 47.0) | |
Additional Information on Cancer Survivors and Physical Activity
For the public
- ACS Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention. American Cancer Society.
- Cancer Survivors Network. American Cancer Society.
- Life After Cancer Treatment. American Cancer Society.
- Survivorship: During and After Treatment. American Cancer Society.
- Journey Forward.
- Facing Forward: Life After Cancer Treatment. National Cancer Institute.
- National Cancer Institute, Office of Cancer Survivorship. Health and Well-Being After Cancer.
- Living Beyond Cancer. National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.
Scientific reports
- Health behaviors of cancer survivors: examining opportunities for cancer control intervention. Bellizzi KM, Rowland JH, Jeffery DD, McNeel T. J Clin Oncol 2005;23(34):8884–93.
- Cancer survivors’ adherence to lifestyle behavior recommendations and associations with health-related quality of life: results from the American Cancer Society’s SCS-II. Blanchard CM, Courneya KS, Stein, K. J Clin Oncol 2008;26(13):2198–2204.
- Promoting health and physical function among cancer survivors: potential for prevention and questions that remain. Demark-Wahnefried W, Pinto BM, Gritz ER. J Clin Oncol 2006;24(32):5125–31.
- Health behaviors influence cancer survival. Gritz ER, Demark-Wahnefried W. J Clin Oncol 2009;27(12):1930–2.
- The dose-response effect of physical activity on cancer mortality: findings from 71 prospective cohort studies. Li T, Wei S, Shi Y, Pang S, Qin Q, Yin J, Deng Y, Chen Q, Wei S, Nie S, Liu L. Br J Sports Med. 2016 Mar;50(6):339-45. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2015-094927. Review.
- The effectiveness of exercise interventions for improving health-related quality of life from diagnosis through active cancer treatment. Mishra SI, Scherer RW, Snyder C, Geigle P, Gotay C. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2015 Jan;42(1):E33-53. doi: 10.1188/15.ONF.E33-E53. Review.