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INFLUENCING PATIENT BEHAVIOR
ENACT STRATEGY: Physician Communication
Encourage regular physician communication and brief counseling regarding physical activity, eating habits and breastfeeding.
Doctors can have a positive influence on eating and activity patterns of their patients. Studies have documented that brief counseling sessions integrated into regular medical check-ups have a beneficial impact on patients’ physical activity levels and dietary practices. One study established that effective counseling for physical activity required as little as three to five minutes (Rippe, et al. Physician Involvement in the Management of Obesity as a Primary Medical Condition. Obesity Research, 2001. 9(Suppl. 4): p.302S-311).
Characteristics
- Integrated into other medical visits
- Short, possibly even 3-5 minutes
- Culturally appropriate and sensitive
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Tools
How Can I Counsel Adults and Children About Weight Management and Physical Activity (PDF)
Outlines appropriate steps for physicians and other health care professionals when counseling patients on nutrition and activity behavior.
Bright Futures in Practice: Nutrition
Emphasizes prevention and early recognition of nutrition concerns and provides developmentally appropriate nutrition supervision guidelines for infancy through adolescence. The guide contains strategies and tools to help health professionals provide nutrition supervision (including screening, assessment, and counseling) and promotes partnerships with families and communities.
Bright Futures in Practice: Physical Activity
Provides current information on screening, assessment, and counseling to promote physical activity and to meet the needs of health professionals, families, and communities.
AIM to Change
This toolkit by the American Academy of Family Physicians contains valuable resources and practical advice to help family physicians interact with patients in an office or community setting. Its resources will show you how to open a dialogue, encourage fitness by recommending simple changes, and capitalize on the "teachable moments" during patient visits.
Roadmaps for Clinical Practice series: Assessment and Management of Adult Obesity
A primer from the American Medical Association, this resourceoffers practical advice on: evaluating patients for current and potential health risks related to weight; understanding medication and surgical options; improving communication and counseling; and making office environments more accommodating to obese patients.
3 Steps to Initiate Discussion about Weight Management with your Patients (PDF)
This guide from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute provides tips for making the most of a patient visit, assessing patients’ motivation/readiness for change, and building a partnership with the patient.
The Role of Midlife and Older Consumers In Promoting Physical Activity Through Health Care Settings (PDF)
This report outlines recommendations for consumers, health care providers, health systems, the research community, and the media to influence physical activity interventions in the health care environment.
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Evidence Base
NHLBI Study Finds Brief Counseling By Health Professionals Boosts Patients’ Physical Fitness
This press release from the National Institutes of Health supports the practice of brief physical activity counseling by health professionals.
Efficacy of breastfeeding support provided by trained clinicians**
This study investigated whether attending an early, routine, preventive, outpatient visit delivered in a primary care physician’s office would improve breastfeeding outcomes. Results were positive with mothers in the intervention group more likely to report exclusive breastfeeding at 4 weeks and longer breastfeeding duration.
Labarere, J., et al. Efficacy of breastfeeding support provided by trained clinicians during an early, routine, preventive visit: a prospective, randomized, open trial of 226 mother-infant pairs. Pediatrics. 2005 Feb; 115(2):e139-46
**We can only provide a link to the article abstract and not the full text.
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