The Influence of Presence/absence of Medical Knowledge on Dietary/exercise Habits or Cancer Progression

Abstract

[AIM] Medical knowledge in medical checkup examinees or cancer patients was evaluated, and we clarified their influences on dietary and exercise habits or cancer progression. [Methods and Patients] The subjects in Study 1 were 73 medical checkup examinees, and those in Study 2 were 14 early or 18 advanced cancer patients. They have taken examinations about basic knowledge of medicine (about diseases), health insurance, and medical expenses, and then total points were calculated in each subject. In study 1, dietary and exercise habits were provided by interview sheets in each examinee. Good dietary habits are, for example, eating slowly, regularly, or much vegetable, on the contrary, bad dietary habits are skipping breakfast, eating big, salty or sweet foods. Good exercise habits were defined as taking exercise more than 2 times a week. In study 2, the relationships between total points and cancer progression were clarified. [Results] There were no significant differences in backgrounds of all studies. Good grade-examinees had better dietary and exercise habits than poor grade-examinees (Study 1). Patients with early cancer had significantly higher points than those with advanced cancer in all fields of examination (Study 2). [Discussion] It is important for examinees and patients to have medical knowledges, and it may cause all of us to have better prognosis.