Plant-based diet associated with better quality of life in prostate cancer survivors.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to examine the relationship between plant-based diet indices postdiagnosis and quality-of-life domains in individuals with nonmetastatic prostate cancer.
Results Summary
A higher plant-based diet index was associated with better scores in sexual function, urinary irritation/obstruction, urinary incontinence, and hormonal/vitality. Healthful plant-based foods also showed associations with improved sexual and bowel function, urinary incontinence, and hormonal/vitality in age-adjusted analysis, though not in multivariable analysis.
Population
3,505 male participants with nonmetastatic prostate cancer from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986–2016).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Median time from diagnosis/treatment to first quality-of-life questionnaire was 7.0 years.
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
plant-based diets | decrease | fatal prostate cancer | - | - | have many health benefits, including a lower risk | #1 |
plant-based diets | increase | environmental sustainability | - | - | greater environmental sustainability | #2 |
plant-based diets | neutral | quality of life | individuals diagnosed with prostate cancer | - | less is known regarding the impact | #3 |
higher plant-based diet index | increase | sexual function | participants in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study with nonmetastatic prostate cancer | - | was associated with better scores | #4 |
higher plant-based diet index | increase | urinary irritation/obstruction | participants in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study with nonmetastatic prostate cancer | - | was associated with better scores | #5 |
higher plant-based diet index | increase | urinary incontinence | participants in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study with nonmetastatic prostate cancer | - | was associated with better scores | #6 |
higher plant-based diet index | increase | hormonal/vitality | participants in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study with nonmetastatic prostate cancer | - | was associated with better scores | #7 |
consuming more healthful plant-based foods | increase | sexual function | participants in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study with nonmetastatic prostate cancer | - | was associated with better | #8 |
consuming more healthful plant-based foods | increase | bowel function | participants in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study with nonmetastatic prostate cancer | - | was associated with better | #9 |
consuming more healthful plant-based foods | increase | urinary incontinence | participants in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study with nonmetastatic prostate cancer | - | was associated with better | #10 |
consuming more healthful plant-based foods | increase | hormonal/vitality scores | participants in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study with nonmetastatic prostate cancer | - | was associated with better | #11 |
greater consumption of healthful plant-based foods | increase | quality-of-life domains | patients with prostate cancer | modestly | is associated with modestly higher scores | #12 |
BACKGROUND: Plant-based diets have many health benefits, including a lower risk of fatal prostate cancer, and greater environmental sustainability. However, less is known regarding the impact of plant-based diets on quality of life among individuals diagnosed with prostate cancer. The authors' objective was to examine the relationship between plant-based diet indices postdiagnosis with quality of life. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 3505 participants in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986-2016) with nonmetastatic prostate cancer. Food-frequency questionnaires were used to calculate overall and healthful plant-based diet indices. Quality-of-life scores were calculated using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine associations over time between plant-based diet indices and quality-of-life domains (sexual functioning, urinary irritation/obstruction, urinary incontinence, bowel functioning, hormonal/vitality), adjusted for demographics, oncologic history, body mass index, caloric intake, health-related behaviors, and comorbidities. RESULTS: The median age at prostate cancer diagnosis was 68 years; 48% of patients underwent radical prostatectomy, and 35% received radiation as primary therapy. The median time from diagnosis/treatment to first the quality-of-life questionnaire was 7.0 years. A higher plant-based diet index was associated with better scores for sexual function, urinary irritation/obstruction, urinary incontinence, and hormonal/vitality. Consuming more healthful plant-based foods was also associated with better sexual and bowel function, as well as urinary incontinence and hormonal/vitality scores in the age-adjusted analysis, but not in the multivariable analysis. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study provides supportive evidence that greater consumption of healthful plant-based foods is associated with modestly higher scores in quality-of-life domains among patients with prostate cancer.