Exploring sedentary behaviour in young adult cancer survivors

Abstract

To explore sedentary behaviour (SB), physical activity (PA), and quality of life (QoL) in young adult cancer survivors (YACS). Methods: YACS aged 18-44 completed an online survey, which assessed SB, PA, and QoL using validated measures (i.e., The SIT-Q, Leisure Score Index (LSI), Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy: General (FACT-G)). Results: Participants had an average of 777.1 (SD= 274.0) minutes/day of total sedentary time and 113.4 minutes/week of moderate-to-vigorous PA (SD= 132.4), which was positively correlated with the physical component score (PCS) (r= .32, p<.01) of the SF-36. Multiple regression analyses showed that moderate and vigorous PA significantly predicted the PCS (R²= .10, p<.01), as did napping and TV viewing time (R²= .13, p<.01). Conclusion: YACS were sedentary, inactive, and their activity levels positively correlated with indicators of QoL. Future research should focus on developing effective interventions to improve these behaviours in YACS.