Abstract

Obesity is a multifactorial chronic disease requiring comprehensive management strategies,
including lifestyle modifications, pharmacotherapy, and surgery. With the rise of social media,
platforms like Instagram offer innovative opportunities for delivering lifestyle interventions to
broader audiences. This work explores the impact of a cognitive-behavioral-therapy-based nutritional
intervention conducted via social media on weight, eating behavior, and mental health among
individuals with overweight and obesity. The intervention lasted five weeks and utilized a private
Instagram account to deliver daily nutritional, cognitive, and behavioral content through live sessions,
reels, feed posts, polls, and stories. Standardized dietary plans were shared via email, and selfreported data on weight, waist circumference, and mental health indicators, including stress, anxiety,
and self-esteem, were collected. Engagement metrics, such as participation in live sessions,
comments, and direct messages, were also analyzed. Results showed that participants with obesity
experienced significant improvements in binge eating, uncontrolled eating, self-esteem, stress, and
anxiety, while those with overweight showed improvements in binge eating and stress. Weight loss
correlated with reduced binge eating and cognitive restriction, and emotional and uncontrolled eating
improvements were linked to reduced anxiety and stress. Notably, live session engagement was
associated with decreased binge eating. This results highlights how Instagram can serve as an
effective tool for improving weight management, eating behaviors, and mental health symptoms,
showcasing the potential of social media in addressing obesity through scalable and engaging
interventions.

Abstract

Lung cancer (LC) is the most common cancer globally and the second most common
locally. LC patients often experience multiple symptoms that severely impact their quality
of life (QOL). With advancements in medical science, cancer has been transformed into a
chronic condition, necessitating a shift from survival-centric to person-centered care
focusing on QOL. The WHO Report 2020 advocates for cancer patients’ active involvement
in care decisions and the self-management of symptoms and lifestyle, highlighting the
need for a chronic illness management framework.
Self-management support programs (SMS) are valuable adjuncts to regular medical
treatments due to their cost-effectiveness and ability to improve fatigue, emotional wellbeing, sleep quality, and exercise capacity, particularly in early-stage LC patients and
those involved in exercise-inclusive programs. However, there is a lack of evidence on the
effectiveness of SMS in patients with advanced lung cancer (ALC). Additionally, over 50%
of SMS lack theoretical frameworks, and small sample sizes in studies result in high biases
and unclear behavioral mechanisms. Existing SMS programs are not specifically tailored
for LC patients and predominantly offer face-to-face didactic information. The WHO
Report on Cancer (2020) emphasizes the importance of engaging, empowering, and
collaborating with patients for self-management. Despite the consensus on the benefits
and urgent need for SMS, evidence of their effectiveness in ALC remains insufficient, and
their use is limited.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the acceptance of smartphone social media (e.g.,
WhatsApp, WeChat) has increased across various age groups, including the elderly and
those with low technological literacy. Despite the promising prospects of integrating
smartphone technology into cancer care and the urgent need for such services, there is a
notable absence of digital, theory-based SMS programs with systematic outcome and
process evaluations. Such programs are essential to actively engage and empower
patients in self-management, supplement current cancer services, and optimize QOL and
health-related outcomes.

Abstract

The number of cancer survivors is expected to more than double in the next 20 years because of improvements in screening and treatment as well as population growth. For many, the aftermath of cancer treatment leaves them with physical, emotional, and practical consequences. Understanding the experiences these survivors undergo is important for healthcare professionals to provide relevant survivorship care.

A national survey was distributed across Canada to capture the experiences of Cancer Survivors 1-3 years following treatment. The survey assessed physical, emotional and practical changes and whether survivors were able to access help for their difficulties.

A total of 13, 319 cancer survivors responded. Breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer accounted for the majority of diagnoses and more than 80% were 55 years of age or older; approximately 67% were living with co-morbidities. The most frequent physical changes were fatigue (68%) and sexual activity (45%) while anxiety (68%) and depression (46%) accounted for the most frequent emotional changes. Issues of return to work (23%), transport (22%), and finances (21%) accounted for the most frequently identified practical issues.  Across all changes, individuals flagged concerns and challenges of varying degrees and difficulty obtaining relevant assistance. Many did not seek-help because they had been told it was normal to experiences these changes or thinking there was nothing that could be done to offset the issue.

Cancer treatment can leave individuals with on-going consequences that influence their daily living. Providing relevant assistance for survivor concerns will require intentional planning and implementation of tailored programming.