title: A controlled trial of physician counseling to promote the adoption of physical activity.
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.
authors.affiliation: San Diego State University, California 92182, USA.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Calfas
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sallis
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wooten
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pratt
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patrick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D010819:Physician's Role; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016138:Walking