A randomized controlled trial of physical activity, dietary habit, and distress management with the Leadership and Coaching for Health (LEACH) program for disease-free cancer survivors

Abstract

BackgroundWe aimed to evaluate the potential benefits of the Leadership and Coaching for Health (LEACH) program on physical activity (PA), dietary habits, and distress management in cancer survivors.MethodsWe randomly assigned 248 cancer survivors with an allocation ratio of two-to-one to the LEACH program (LP) group, coached by long-term survivors, or the usual care (UC) group. At baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months, we used PA scores, the intake of vegetables and fruits (VF), and the Post Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) as primary outcomes and, for secondary outcomes, the Ten Rules for Highly Effective Health Behavior adhered to and quality of life (QOL), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30).ResultsFor primary outcomes, the two groups did not significantly differ in PA scores or VF intake but differed marginally in PTGI. For secondary outcomes, the LP group showed a significantly greater improvement in the HADS anxiety score, the social functioning score, and the appetite loss and financial difficulties scores of the EORTC QLQ-C30 scales from baseline to 3 months. From baseline to 12 months, the LP group showed a significantly greater decrease in the EORTC QLQ-C30 fatigue score and a significantly greater increase in the number of the Ten Rules for Highly Effective Health Behavior.ConclusionOur findings indicate that the LEACH program, coached by long-term survivors, can provide effective management of the QOL of cancer survivors but not of their PA or dietary habits.Trial registrationClinical trial information can be found for the following: NCT01527409 (the date when the trial was registered: February 2012).Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-017-3290-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Association of support from family and friends with self-leadership for making long-term lifestyle changes in patients with colorectal cancer

“…Self‐leadership is as an extension of SM, and self‐leadership strategies are behaviour‐focused strategies that increase achievements, orientation and performance (Neck & Manz, ). Thus, the current findings concur with those of other studies that family‐ and friend‐based supportive interventions improve SM and adoption of healthy behaviours in patients with cancer (Gilliam et al., ; Porter et al., ; Yun et al., ). Similar studies also reported that use of self‐leadership strategies was effective in improving performance in educational settings (Rahimi, Rad, & Eynali, ), self‐care behaviours in patients with heart failure (Sayers, Riegel, Pawlowski, Coyne, & Samaha, ) and cancer care outcomes (Yun et al., ).…”

Healthy eating interventions in adults living with and beyond colorectal cancer: a systematic review

“…The third study reported no difference in physical functioning from the physical domain of the EORTC QLQ‐30 in both groups at 3 or 12 months (control 79.3 versus 79.4, P = 0.942 and control 78.7 versus 81.9, P = 0.123) , respectively.…”

“…The third reported no difference in the cognitive functioning of the EORTC QLQ‐30 at 3 months (control 75.1 versus 77.6, P = 0.322) or at 12 months (control 78.4 versus 76.8, P = 0.552).…”

“…One of the three studies reported an increase in QOL using the SF‐36 scale compared to a decrease in the control group (control −1.94 versus 0.77, P = 0.007) . The other two studies reported no difference in overall QOL .…”

“…One study using FACT‐F reported an increase in both groups (control 1 versus 5 P = 0.005) with another using the EORTC QLQ‐C30 fatigue scale reporting no difference in fatigue score at 3 months between groups (control 37.6 versus 34.3, P = 0.214) but an increase in the control group from baseline at 12 months (control 41.9 versus 34.8, P = 0.01) .…”