Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #115704

Laura J. Peterson, BA¹, Rebecca A. Shelby, MA¹, Kristen M. Carpenter, MA¹, and Barbara L. Andersen, PhD². (1) Stress and Immunity Cancer Projects, The Ohio State University, 167 Townshend Hall, 1885 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, 614-292-6874, peterson.266@osu.edu, (2) Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 202 Townshend Hall, 1885 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210

The present study examines the relationship between intent and change in food habits and potential moderators (depression and anxiety). Participants were 90 Stage II-III breast cancer patients: Caucasian (96%), age 52 (range 23-79), and income (M=$66,403). Initial assessment occurred following surgery and prior to adjuvant therapy; follow-up occurred 8 months later. Participants completed the Food Habits Questionnaire, intent to change fat and fiber consumption, the Profile of Mood States and the Marlow-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. A series of hierarchical multiple regressions were used to test the contributions of baseline intent to change fat consumption, depressive symptoms (DEP), and anxious symptoms (ANX) in predicting changes in food habits from baseline to 8-months. In addition, DEP and ANX were tested as moderators of the effect of intent. Variables were entered as follows: social desirability (Step 1), DEP/ANX symptoms (Step 2), intent to change (Step 3), and the intent by DEP/ANX interaction. Intent to change fat was associated with improvements in total food habits (p=.02), use of replacement foods (p=.005), and food substitution (p=.05). There was no association between intent and change in fiber consumption. Anxiety did not moderate the relationship between intent and change in food habits. Depression moderated the relationship between fat intent and food habits; for those with low depression, intent was associated with improved habits. For those with high depression, intent was not associated with change. A similar pattern was observed for fiber intent. Lowering depression may be a good strategy for improving food habits in breast cancer patients.

Learning Objectives:

• - Discuss the relationship between depression and food habit changes in breast cancer patients
• - Distinguish between the intent to change and actual change in food habits.

Keywords: Food and Nutrition, Breast Cancer

Related Web page: and.psy.ohio-state.edu

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.