Researchers studied 108 women with breast cancer to see if their exercise habits before diagnosis were connected to their eating and health choices. They split the women into two groups: those who exercised regularly (following health guidelines) and those who didn’t exercise much. The study found that women who were active before getting sick had better eating habits and healthier lifestyle choices overall. This suggests that staying physically active and eating well might help women manage their health better, even after a cancer diagnosis.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether women who exercised regularly before being diagnosed with breast cancer had better eating habits and healthier lifestyle choices compared to women who didn’t exercise much
  • Who participated: 108 women aged 49 to 63 years old (average age 54) who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. About 59% of them had been physically active before their diagnosis, while 41% had not been very active
  • Key finding: Women who exercised regularly before diagnosis had significantly better diet quality scores (26.2 out of a possible score) compared to inactive women (22.8). This means active women made healthier food choices overall
  • What it means for you: If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, being physically active and eating well before diagnosis may have set you up with better health habits. Even if you weren’t active before, it’s never too late to start making healthier choices now, but talk to your doctor first about what’s safe for you

The Research Details

This was a pilot study, which means it was a smaller test run to explore an idea before doing a bigger study. Researchers looked back at the health records and habits of 108 women who had already been diagnosed with breast cancer. They asked the women about their exercise levels before they got sick and compared two groups: women who exercised enough to meet official health recommendations (64 women) and women who didn’t exercise much (44 women).

The researchers used two different questionnaires (survey tools) to measure the women’s eating habits and health behaviors. One tool looked at general health behaviors like sleep, stress management, and nutrition. The other tool specifically measured diet quality. By comparing the two groups, they could see if being active was connected to eating better and having healthier habits overall.

This approach is useful because it lets researchers understand patterns in real people’s lives, though it can’t prove that exercise directly causes better eating habits—just that they tend to go together.

Understanding the connection between exercise and eating habits is important because both are major factors in cancer prevention and recovery. If researchers can show that active people tend to eat better, it suggests that encouraging exercise might help improve overall health in cancer patients. This kind of pilot study helps researchers decide if a bigger, more detailed study is worth doing

This is a pilot study with a moderate sample size (108 women), which is good for exploring ideas but smaller than ideal for making strong conclusions. The study looked at women in a specific age range (49-63), so results may not apply to younger or older women. The study relied on women remembering their exercise and eating habits from before diagnosis, which can be less accurate than tracking habits in real-time. The research was published in a reputable journal (Scientific Reports), which is a positive sign

What the Results Show

The main finding was that women who exercised regularly before their cancer diagnosis had noticeably better diet quality. The active women’s diet quality score averaged 26.2, while inactive women’s averaged 22.8—a meaningful difference. This suggests that women who stayed physically active before diagnosis had developed better eating habits overall.

Beyond just diet, the study found that physical activity level was connected to overall health behaviors. Women who exercised regularly reported better health habits in general, not just in eating. This could include things like better sleep, managing stress, and taking care of their health in other ways.

The researchers noted that these patterns were statistically significant, meaning the differences between the two groups were large enough that they probably weren’t just due to chance. However, because this is a pilot study, these findings need to be confirmed with larger research projects.

The study also looked at nutritional status (whether women were getting proper nutrition) and found it was better in the active group. Women who exercised before diagnosis appeared to have better overall nutritional health. The research suggests that physical activity and good nutrition tend to go hand-in-hand—people who exercise often also make better food choices

Previous research has shown that exercise and good nutrition are both important for cancer prevention and managing cancer after diagnosis. This study adds to that knowledge by showing that these healthy habits often occur together in the same people. It supports the idea that a healthy lifestyle (combining exercise and good eating) is more powerful than either habit alone

This study has several important limitations to keep in mind. First, it’s a pilot study with a relatively small group of women, so the findings need to be tested with larger groups before we can be very confident. Second, the study only included women aged 49-63, so we don’t know if the same patterns would be true for younger or older women. Third, the study asked women to remember their exercise and eating habits from before they were diagnosed, which can be unreliable—people’s memories aren’t always accurate. Fourth, this study shows that active women tend to eat better, but it doesn’t prove that exercise causes better eating; there could be other reasons why active people make better food choices. Finally, the study didn’t look at whether these healthy habits actually affected cancer outcomes or survival

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, health experts would likely recommend: (1) If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, talk to your doctor about safe ways to stay physically active—it appears connected to better overall health habits. (2) Focus on both exercise and nutrition together, as they seem to work best as a team. (3) If you weren’t active before diagnosis, it’s not too late to start—discuss safe exercise options with your healthcare team. Confidence level: Moderate—this is a pilot study, so these are promising suggestions but need confirmation with larger research

Women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer should pay attention to this research, especially those thinking about their health habits going forward. Women without cancer might also find this helpful as motivation to stay active and eat well as part of cancer prevention. However, these findings are specifically about women aged 49-63, so they may not apply as directly to younger or older women. Anyone with cancer should talk to their doctor before making major changes to exercise or diet

If you start becoming more physically active and improving your eating habits, you might notice some benefits within a few weeks (like more energy or better sleep), but the bigger health benefits typically develop over months to years. This isn’t a quick fix—it’s about building lasting healthy habits

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track both exercise minutes and daily diet quality together. For example, log your weekly exercise (aim for 150 minutes of moderate activity per week per WHO guidelines) alongside a simple daily diet score (1-10 rating of how healthy your eating was that day). This helps you see if they improve together
  • Set a specific goal like ‘I will do 30 minutes of walking 5 days this week AND eat vegetables with at least 2 meals daily.’ Track both in your app to see how they connect. Start small and build up gradually, especially if you’re managing cancer treatment
  • Weekly check-ins: Every Sunday, review your exercise minutes and diet quality scores from the past week. Look for patterns—do weeks when you exercise more also have better eating? Use this insight to motivate yourself. Monthly: Assess overall trends and adjust goals if needed. Share results with your healthcare team to ensure your habits support your cancer care plan

This research is a pilot study and should not be used as medical advice. If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer or any other cancer, consult with your oncologist or healthcare team before making significant changes to your exercise routine or diet. The findings suggest associations between physical activity and eating habits but do not prove cause-and-effect relationships. Individual responses to lifestyle changes vary greatly, and what works for one person may not work for another. Always work with your medical team to develop a personalized plan that’s safe for your specific situation and treatment stage.