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Meta-Analysis
. 2024 Jun 2;16(11):1749.
doi: 10.3390/nu16111749.

Combined Effects of Physical Activity and Diet on Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Petros C Dinas  1   2 , On Behalf Of The Students Of Module Introduction To Systematic Reviews  1 , Marianthi Karaventza  1 , Christina Liakou  3 , Kalliopi Georgakouli  1 , Dimitrios Bogdanos  4 , George S Metsios  1
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Combined Effects of Physical Activity and Diet on Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Petros C Dinas et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background: The purpose of our systematic review was to examine the effects of any physical activity/exercise intervention combined with any diet/nutrition intervention on any biological/biochemical index, quality of life (QoL), and depression in breast, lung, colon and rectum, prostate, stomach, and liver cancer patients and/or cancer survivors.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken, using PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook. The systematic review protocol can be found in the PROSPERO database; registration number: CRD42023481429.

Results: We found moderate-quality evidence that a combined intervention of physical activity/exercise and nutrition/diet reduced body mass index, body weight, fat mass, insulin, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, C-reactive protein, triglycerides, and depression, while it increased high-density lipoprotein, the physical component of QoL, and general functional assessment of cancer therapy.

Conclusions: We conclude that a combined intervention of physical activity/exercise and diet/nutrition may decrease body weight, fat mass, insulin levels, and inflammation, and improve lipidemic profile, the physical component of QoL, and depression in cancer patients and survivors. These outcomes indicate a lower risk for carcinogenesis; however, their applicability depends on the heterogeneity of the population and interventions, as well as the potential medical treatment of cancer patients and survivors.

Keywords: cancer indices; exercise; nutrition.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Summary of risk of bias assessment.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plot of the effects of physical activity/exercise and diet/nutrition intervention on body mass index. SD: standard deviation; CI: confidence interval.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plot of the effects of physical activity/exercise and diet/nutrition intervention on body weight. SD: standard deviation; CI: confidence interval.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Forest plot of the effects of physical activity/exercise and diet/nutrition intervention on fat mass. SD: standard deviation; CI: confidence interval.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Forest plot of the effects of physical activity/exercise and diet/nutrition intervention on fat-free mass. SD: standard deviation; CI: confidence interval.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Forest plot of the effects of physical activity/exercise and diet/nutrition intervention on insulin levels. SD: standard deviation; CI: confidence interval.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Forest plot of the effects of physical activity/exercise and diet/nutrition intervention on homeostatic assessment model for insulin resistance. SD: standard deviation; CI: confidence interval.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Forest plot of the effects of physical activity/exercise and diet/nutrition intervention on C-reactive protein. SD: standard deviation; CI: confidence interval.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Forest plot of the effects of physical activity/exercise and diet/nutrition intervention on high-density lipoprotein. SD: standard deviation; CI: confidence interval.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Forest plot of the effects of physical activity/exercise and diet/nutrition intervention on triglycerides. SD: standard deviation; CI: confidence interval.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Forest plot of the effects of physical activity/exercise and diet/nutrition intervention on quality of life physical component summary score. SD: standard deviation; CI: confidence interval.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Forest plot of the effects of physical activity/exercise and diet/nutrition intervention on quality of life physical functioning. SD: standard deviation; CI: confidence interval.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Forest plot of the effects of physical activity/exercise and diet/nutrition intervention on the general functional assessment of cancer therapy. SD: standard deviation; CI: confidence interval.
Figure 14
Figure 14
Forest plot of the effects of physical activity/exercise and diet/nutrition intervention on depression. SD: standard deviation; CI: confidence interval.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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