Nutrition and Physical Activity Counseling by General Practitioners in China.

CHINA; HUNAN Sheng (China)

The aims of this study are: (i) to examine the current practice of Chinese GPs in counseling patients regarding nutrition and physical activity; (ii) to understand the common barriers to such counseling by Chinese GPs; and (iii) to study the association between GPs' personal lifestyle choices and their practices in lifestyle counseling.Methods: A cross-sectional, self-reported online questionnaire was conducted among GPs in Hunan province, China. A total of 198 GPs completed the questionnaire.Results: The majority of GPs provide nutrition and physical activity counseling to less than 40% of their patients, spending less than three minutes per counseling session. The main reported barriers to counseling on nutrition and physical activity are inadequate time and a lack of knowledge or experience. GPs primarily acquire knowledge through medical books and journals, followed by science popularization. Furthermore, GPs who maintain healthier lifestyle habits, possess a better understanding of lifestyle guidelines, conduct longer office visits, and exhibit higher self-efficacy are more likely to provide counseling to patients.Conclusion: This study highlights the need for improvement in nutrition and physical activity counseling among Chinese GPs. GPs' personal nutrition and physical activity habits may measurably influence their counseling practice. We recommend that GPs themselves adopt healthier lifestyle habits to potentially improve their counseling practice. Moreover, proactive measures should be taken to assist GPs in overcoming barriers encountered with lifestyle counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Risk Management & Healthcare Policy is the property of Dove Medical Press Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)