A study looking at diet and exercise to help men having hormone therapy for prostate cancer

The researchers found that a 6 month diet and exercise programme helped reduce some of the side effects of hormone therapy but not all of them.

94 men taking hormone therapy treatment for prostate cancer joined this study.

• Half took part in a 6 month diet and exercise programme
• Half followed their usual diet and levels of physical activity (doctors call this the control group

People in the diet and exercise group had a consultation with a nutritionist who gave information about healthy eating and the benefits of exercise. Researchers phoned the people in the diet and exercise group regularly to see how they were getting on and to offer support and advice.

At the end of the study the researchers looked at the results. They found that

• In the diet and exercise group, men lost weight, had a lower percentage of fat in their body, reduced their waist circumference, increased their lean muscle mass, and had improved levels of physical fitness
• Quality of life and levels of tiredness (fatigue) or stress were also improved in the diet and exercise group. But the difference between the 2 groups  was not statistically significant

The researchers concluded that this 6 month diet and exercise programme was both useful and acceptable to the men who took part. The programme helped men to lose weight and improved their physical fitness and diet.

We have based this summary on information from the research team. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists (peer reviewed ) and published in a medical journal. The figures we quote above were provided by the research team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.