Media use, cancer knowledge and lifestyle choices: a cross-sectional analysis.

BACKGROUND Both media use and cancer knowledge have been identified as important predictors of a healthy lifestyle. However, little is known about the interplay between these two variables, and about differences between cancer diagnosed and non-diagnosed consumers of media and knowledge. This study investigated the relationship between media use (television and internet exposure) and lifestyle choices of cancer diagnosed and non-diagnosed individuals, and looked at the influence of cancer knowledge on this relationship. METHODS A cross-sectional, quantitative survey (the Leuven Cancer Information Survey) was administered to 621 cancer diagnosed and 1387 non-diagnosed individuals, aged 16-88 years old in Flanders (Belgium). Bivariate analyses, hierarchical linear regression analyses and advanced moderation and mediation analyses were conducted. RESULTS Internet exposure was not a predictor of lifestyle choices. Television exposure, however, was a negative predictor of healthy lifestyle choices. Moreover, television exposure was a direct negative predictor of cancer knowledge, which in turn positively predicted lifestyle choices. However, no differences were found in the investigated relationships between the two subsamples. CONCLUSION These results indicate that higher levels of television exposure coincide with less cancer knowledge and with less healthy lifestyle choices. It offers a pathway for intervention by suggesting that improving cancer knowledge through television might positively affect lifestyle choices.