1.
Effects of an urban forest healing program on cancer-related fatigue in cancer survivors.
Park, KH, Lee, H, Park, EY, Sung, JH, Song, MK, An, M, Bang, E, Baek, SY, Do, Y, Lee, S, et al
Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer. 2023;(1):4
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to examine the effects of an eight-session structured urban forest healing program for cancer survivors with fatigue. BACKGROUND Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a complex and multifactorial common symptom among cancer survivors that limits quality of life (QoL). Although health benefits of forest healing on physiological, physical, and psychological aspect as well as on the immune system have been reported in many studies, there is limited evidence on the efficacy of specialized forest program for cancer survivors. METHOD A single-blinded, pre-test and post-test control group clinical trial was conducted with -75 cancer survivors assigned to either the forest healing group or the control group. The intervention was an eight-session structured urban forest program provided at two urban forests with easy accessibility. Each session consists of three or four major activities based on six forest healing elements such as landscape, phytoncides, anions, sounds, sunlight, and oxygen. Complete data of the treatment-adherent sample (≥ 6 sessions) was used to examine whether sociodemographic, clinical, physiological (respiratory function, muscle strength, balance, 6-min walking test) and psychological (distress, mood state, sleep quality, QoL) characteristics at baseline moderated the intervention effect on fatigue severity at 9 weeks. RESULTS Significant time-group interactions were observed muscle strength, balance, 6-min walking test, distress, fatigue, moods, and QoL. The mean difference in fatigue between pre- and post-forest healing program was 9.1 (95% CI 6.2 to 11.9), 11.9 (95% CI 7.6 to 16.1) in moods, and -93.9 (95% CI -123.9 to -64.0) in QoL, showing significant improvements in forest healing group, but no significant improvements in the control group. CONCLUSION This study suggests that a forest healing program positively impacts the lives of cancer survivors, by addressing both physical and psychological challenges associated with CRF. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER KCT0008447 (Date of registration: May 19, 2023).
2.
Difference of body compositional changes according to the presence of weight cycling in a community-based weight control program.
Yoo, HJ, Kim, BT, Park, YW, Park, KH, Kim, CW, Joo, NS
Journal of Korean medical science. 2010;(1):49-53
Abstract
Many obese people who try to control body weight experience weight cycling (WC). The present study evaluated the importance of WC in a community-based obesity intervention program. We analyzed the data of 109 Korean participants (86% women) among 177 subjects who had completed a 12-week intervention program at two public health centers in Korea from April to December, 2007. Completion of a self-administrated questionnaire at baseline was used to obtain anthropometric measurements, and laboratory testing was done before and after the program. Differences in body composition change and obesity-related life style between the two groups were compared with respect to WC and non-weight cycling (NWC). After 12 weeks, both groups showed reductions in weight, waist circumference, and body mass index. The group differences were not significant. However, significant differences were evident for the WC group compared to the NWC group in fat percent mass (WC vs. NWC, -3.49+/-2.31% vs. -4.65+/-2.59%, P=0.01), fat free mass (WC vs. NWC, -0.95+/-1.37 kg vs. -0.38+/-1.05 kg, P=0.01), and total cholesterol (WC vs. NWC, -3.32+/-14.63 vs. -16.54+/-32.39, P=0.005). In conducting a community-based weight control program that predominantly targets women, changes of body composition and total cholesterol may be less effective in weight cyclers than in non-weight cyclers.