Elsevier

Preventive Medicine

Volume 25, Issue 3, May 1996, Pages 225-233
Preventive Medicine

Regular Article
A Controlled Trial of Physician Counseling to Promote the Adoption of Physical Activity

https://doi.org/10.1006/pmed.1996.0050Get rights and content

Abstract

Background.In accordance with one of the Year 2000 Health Objectives, the current study tests the efficacy of brief physician-based counseling to increase physical activity in sedentary patients in a nonrandomized controlled trial.

Methods.Control and intervention physicians were matched on medical practice variables. Two hundred fifty-five apparently healthy, sedentary, adult patients were recruited from 17 physician offices (mean age = 39 years, 84% female, 28% ethnic minority). Intervention physicians delivered 3 to 5 min of structured physical activity counseling during a well visit or follow-up for a chronic condition. A health educator made a brief booster phone call to patients 2 weeks after receiving physician counseling. Self-reported physical activity and stage of change (i.e., behavioral readiness to adopt or maintain activity) were collected at baseline and at 4- to 6-week follow-up. Objective activity monitoring was conducted on a subsample.

Results.Intervention patients reported increased walking more than control patients (+37 min/week vs. +7 min/week). There was a significant intervention effect on the activity monitor. Intervention participants also demonstrated a greater increase in readiness to adopt activity than control subjects.

Conclusions.Physician-based counseling for physical activity is efficacious in producing short-term increases in moderate physical activity among previously sedentary patients.

References (0)

Cited by (469)

  • Can physical activity measurement alone improve objectively-measured physical activity in primary care?: A systematic review and meta-analysis

    2020, Preventive Medicine Reports
    Citation Excerpt :

    The search identified 2903 unique records, with the full text of 154 records assessed. Thirty records met the inclusion criteria (Eakin et al., 2014; Altenburg et al., 2014; Davies et al., 2016; Kirk et al., 2003; McMurdo et al., 2010; Harris et al., 2015; Samdal et al., 2019; Mutrie et al., 2012; Baba et al., 2017; Calfas et al., 1996; Carr et al., 2008; Devi et al., 2014; Hyman et al., 2007; Kinmonth et al., 2008; McDermott et al., 2018; Melville et al., 2015; Morgan et al., 2014; Pinto et al., 2005; van der Weegen et al., 2015; Vanroy et al., 2017; Wieland et al., 2018; Yates et al., 2017; Dasgupta et al., 2017; De Greef et al., 2011; Fortier et al., 2011; Fuller et al., 2014; Greaves et al., 2015; Bossen et al., 2013; Godino et al., 2016; Harvey-Berino and Rourke, 2003), and 22 studies were included in the meta-analysis (McMurdo et al., 2010; Baba et al., 2017; van der Weegen et al., 2015; Eakin et al., 2014; Altenburg et al., 2014; Davies et al., 2016; Harris et al., 2015; Samdal et al., 2019; Mutrie et al., 2012; Carr et al., 2008; Devi et al., 2014; Hyman et al., 2007; McDermott et al., 2018; Melville et al., 2015; Morgan et al., 2014; Wieland et al., 2018; Yates et al., 2017; Dasgupta et al., 2017; De Greef et al., 2011; Fortier et al., 2011; Fuller et al., 2014; Greaves et al., 2015). Eight studies were excluded from the meta-analysis as two studies did not provide a measure of variability (Kirk et al., 2003; Calfas et al., 1996), one study used a Biotrainer accelerometer with a different scale of measurement for counts.day−1 (Pinto et al., 2005) and five studies used a variety of outcome measures with no more than two studies for each measure (total physical activity minutes.day−1 (Bossen et al., 2013); energy expenditure.day−1 (Kinmonth et al., 2008; Godino et al., 2016); vector magnitude.hour-1 (Harvey-Berino and Rourke, 2003); total physical activity (10 min bout) minutes.day−1 47).

  • Overweight and Obesity

    2019, Encyclopedia of Biomedical Gerontology: Volume 1-3
View all citing articles on Scopus

This work was supported through a cooperative agreement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine and by the Student Health Services at San Diego State University. The contents of this paper do not reflect the official policy of the U.S. Public Health Service.

2

To whom correspondence and reprint requests should be addressed at Department of Health Promotion, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-4701. Fax: (619) 594-5613.

View full text