Personal and clinical exercise-related attitudes and behaviors of freshmen U.S. medical students.
To determine personal and clinical exercise-related attitudes and behaviors of freshmen U.S. medical students, we surveyed 1,906 entering freshman medical students (response rate = 87%; average age = 24 years) in 17 U.S. medical schools. Students reported a median of 45 min/day of exercise, 80 min/week each of mild and moderate exercise, and 100 min/week of strenuous exercise. Nearly all students (97.6%) engaged in some moderate or vigorous exercise in a typical week. Sixty-four percent complied with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services exercise recommendations. Most freshmen (79%) believed it would be highly relevant to their future practices to counsel patients about exercise; predictors included intention to provide primary care, excellent health, prevention emphasis by their personal physician, and performing more strenuous exercise.
Frank
Erica
E
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Emory University, USA. efrank@emory.edu
Galuska
Deborah A
DA
Elon
Lisa K
LK
Wright
Elsa H
EH
D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D001519:Behavior; D003376:Counseling; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States