Determinants of Dutch general practitioners' nutrition and physical activity guidance practices

Abstract

Objective General practitioners (GP) are uniquely placed to guide their patients on nutrition and physical activity. The aims of the present study were to assess: (i) the extent to which GP guide on nutrition and physical activity; (ii) the determinants that cause GP to give guidance on nutrition and physical activity; and (iii) the extent to which these guidance practices have the same determinants. Design Cross-sectional study, mail questionnaire. Setting Dutch general practice. Subjects Four hundred and seventy-two GP in practice for 5-30 years. Results Our study showed that the majority of GP had similar practices for both nutrition and physical activity guidance. Fair associations were found between nutrition and physical activity guidance practices. More than half of the explained variance in the models of physical activity guidance practices was improved by the inclusion of nutrition guidance practices in the models. Moreover, GP reported higher frequencies of physical activity guidance practices than nutrition guidance practices. Nutrition guidance practices predicted the same physical activity guidance practices. Conclusions The majority of GP had similar practices for nutrition and physical activity guidance. GP were more inclined to guide their patients on physical activity than on nutrition. Self-efficacy was found to be a determinant in most models for guidance practices. Guidance practices proved to be a mix of prevention and treatment components. Consequently, we advise raising the self-efficacy of GP by training in medical school and in continuing medical education. We also recommend the combination of both nutrition and physical activity guidance in general practice. © 2012 The Authors.