Cancer survivors do not necessarily trade out unhealthy behaviors for healthier ones after diagnosis, according to a study in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship.
Researchers used data from a 2013 survey of health-related behaviors among U.S. residents to compare lifestyle behaviors, including smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption and nutrition, among cancer survivors and their cancer-free counterparts. The study, at the University of Oklahoma, included 47,139 cancer survivors and 407,191 controls without cancer, age 18 and older, who participated in the survey, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Researchers found 19.8 percent of women cancer survivors smoked, compared with 15.8 percent of women without cancer, according to the article. However, smoking was lower among male survivors than males with no cancer history.
Additionally, less than two-thirds of survivors were overweight or obese, and about 83 percent didn't meet the recommended fruit and vegetable guidelines, the study found, according to The Wall Street Journal.
"Cancer survivors are at increased risk for comorbid conditions, and acceptance of healthy behaviors may reduce dysfunction and improve long-term health," researchers concluded. "Ultimately, opportunities exist for clinicians to promote lifestyle changes that may improve the length and quality of life of their patients."