Public release date: 24-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Sherri McGinnis Gonzlez smcginn@uic.edu 312-996-8277 University of Illinois at Chicago
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago's Institute for Health Research and Policy have designed a novel community-based weight loss intervention designed for African American breast cancer survivors.
Under a five-year, $3 million grant from the National Cancer Institute, researchers will determine if the program, called Moving Forward, is effective in decreasing body mass index and weight and improving diet and physical activity habits. They will also evaluate the effect of weight loss on blood pressure, cholesterol and quality of life.
African American women exhibit higher breast cancer mortality rates than white women; in Chicago the breast cancer mortality rate for black women is 116 percent higher than the rate for white women, says Melinda Stolley, principal investigator of the study and institute researcher.
Poor diet, lack of physical activity and obesity contribute to breast cancer progression and may intensify other conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, she said.
"One of the cruel things about being diagnosed with breast cancer is that most women gain weight post-treatment -- on average 5 to 7 pounds -- which is not fully understood. We want to target African American women because nearly 78 percent of African American women are overweight or obese."
Physical activity has been shown to improve survival in breast cancer patients, Stolley said, but there has been very little research on weight loss in African American breast cancer survivors.
UIC will partner with the Chicago Park District to implement the study in the Roseland/Pullman, Englewood, Austin, South Shore and Lawndale neighborhoods.
The randomized study will recruit 240 African American breast cancer survivors who have completed treatment at least six months prior; are overweight; are physically able to participate in moderate physical activity; and are not currently in a structured weight loss program.
Read more here:
Can weight loss help African-American breast cancer survivors?
