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Physicians with healthy habits likely to urge lifestyle changes to patients
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Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2012
Physicians who practice healthy habits are likely to recommend important lifestyle modifications to their patients, results of a survey suggest.
Physicians surveyed were twice as likely to recommend five major lifestyle modifications — healthy diet, limited sodium intake, healthy weight, less alcohol intake and increased exercise — to patients if they exercised at least once per week and did not actively smoke.
The Web-based survey was designed to provide insight into physician attitudes and behaviors regarding the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC VII) lifestyle modification guidelines. Physicians’ healthy habits were defined as eating more fruits and vegetables, exercising frequently and not smoking.
Of 1,000 primary care physicians who participated (mean age, 45 years; 68% men), 4% smoked at least once per week, 38.6% ate five or more cups of fruits and vegetables at least 5 days per week and 27.4% exercised at least 5 days per week.
When asked about lifestyle advice offered to their patients with hypertension, physicians reported recommending that their patients cut sodium intake (961 of 1,000 physicians surveyed), attain or maintain a healthy weight (948 of 1,000), be more physically active (944 of 1,000), follow a healthy diet (922 of 1,000) and limit alcohol intake (754 of 1,000). Overall, 66.5% of physicians made all five lifestyle modification recommendations to patients. Compared with younger physicians, those aged 40 to 49 years were 1.6 times more likely to make all five lifestyle recommendations.
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Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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This is an interesting study that provides important evidence regarding the type of physicians who preach what they practice to their patients. In this study, researchers found that those physicians who gave the most effective lifestyle modification advice were also those who themselves practiced healthier behaviors. We know in this country that obesity, physical inactivity and diabetes are on the rise, which may translate into more heart disease and stroke. The AHA has set a goal to improve CV health of all American’s by 20% by the year 2020. To do that, we need to get more physicians and communities to practice healthier lifestyles and, in this case, that means healthy diet, more physical activity and not smoking.
– Ralph L. Sacco, MD, MS, FAHA, FAAN
Immediate
Past President of the American Heart Association
Chair of Neurology,
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Disclosure: Dr. Sacco reports no relevant financial disclosures.