Physical Activity among Colorectal Cancer Patients and Survivors in Egypt

Aly, Salma M.; Genena, Doaa; Bateman, Lori Brand; Shikany, James M.; Fouad, Mona N.; Arafat, Waleed O.; Abdelmoniam, Salah-Eldin; Bae, Sejong; Scarinci, Isabel C.; Hussien, Marwa; Alaa, Mariam; Hansen, Barbara; Hegazy, Yassmin; Rogers, Laura Q.

doi:10.31557/APJCP.2023.24.9.3117

Physical Activity among Colorectal Cancer Patients and Survivors in Egypt

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

¹ Community Medicine department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.

² Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.

³ Department of Preventive Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, United States.

⁴ Preventive Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, United States.

⁵ Department of Clinical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.

⁶ Global and Rural Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, U.S.

⁷ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.

⁸ Department of Medicine, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.

10.31557/APJCP.2023.24.9.3117

Abstract

Introduction: Understanding physical activity (PA) levels is important when developing tertiary cancer prevention interventions, especially in Egypt where colorectal cancer (CRC) is more often diagnosed at later stages and at a younger age of onset (≤40 years). Methods: We assessed PA levels among CRC patients and survivors in Alexandria, Egypt. All participants completed two self-reported PA assessments: Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ). Participants could opt to wear an accelerometer for seven days. Results were compared against WHO recommendations of ≥150 minutes or ≥600 metabolic equivalents of tasks (METs) of moderate-to-vigorous PA weekly. Results: Of 86 participants enrolled, all completed the surveys and 29 agreed to accelerometer use. Prevalence of meeting PA recommendations was 62.8% based on the GPAQ, 14.0% based on GLTEQ, and 41% based on accelerometer. Based on the GPAQ, very few respondents reported vigorous occupational, vigorous recreational, or moderate recreational activity (median = 0 with interquartile range [IQR] of 0 – 0 weekly minutes for all three) while most activity resulted from moderate occupational and transportation (median [IQR] of 60 [0-840] and 60 [0-187.5] weekly minutes, respectively). Participants meeting PA recommendations were less likely to be married (p = 0.043) according to GPAQ and more likely to be female (p=0.047) and early cancer stage (p=0.007) by GLTEQ. Conclusion: Non-leisure free-living PA is a major contributor to meeting PA recommendations while leisure-time PA is a potential target for future interventions that increase PA in this population.

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