Promotion of physical activity by Canadian Registered Dietitians in daily practice.
BACKGROUND
Dietitians are in an opportunistic position to promote healthy eating and active living. The purpose of this study was to determine counselling strategies of dietitians 1 year after attending a workshop designed to strengthen dietitians' self-efficacy for promoting physical activity (PA) as an adjunct to regular nutrition practice.


METHODS
A convenience sample of Registered Dietitians (RDs) in Alberta, Canada (n=103) responded to an invitation via an electronic newsletter to complete a web-based survey that asked about counselling practices related to PA.


RESULTS
Thirty-seven workshop attendees (n=37) were compared with a group of dietitians (n=66) who completed the survey but who did not attend the workshop. Nearly all (91%) respondents reported promoting PA in daily practice. Those who attended the workshop were more likely to refer clients to PA professionals (chi2=12.68, P<0.05) than those who were not workshop attendees.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite a relatively modest response rate, there were clear suggestions that RDs in Alberta, Canada promote PA in daily practice and attending a workshop designed to facilitate the use of specific tools and strategies for promoting PA in daily practice resulted in increased referral of their clients to exercise specialists.
Johnson
S T
ST
Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta, Agriculture Forestry Centre, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Bates
H
H
Fitzpatrick
J
J
Marshall
J D
JD
Bell
R C
RC
McCargar
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000416:Alberta; D004046:Dietetics / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic