title: Physician advice on exercise and diet in a U.S. sample of obese Mexican-American adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To document the prevalence of obese Mexican-Americans never advised by health professionals regarding exercise and diet, and to determine risk factors for no advice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data came from 1787 obese Mexican-American adults (body mass index ≥30; age ≥18 years) in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. The survey included self-reported receipt of health care provider advice on exercise and diet as well as sociodemographic, health-related, and provider-related factors. Multivariable logistic regression models were performed separately for advice regarding exercise and advice regarding diet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 45% of respondents reported that they had never received advice from a doctor or health care professional to exercise more, and 52% reported that they have received advice to eat fewer higher-fat/high-cholesterol foods. Men, nonmarried respondents, lower-educated respondents, those who preferred to speak Spanish at home, and those without comorbid chronic conditions were less likely to receive advice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that obese Mexican-Americans are insufficiently advised by health care providers regarding exercise and diet. Given the seriousness of obesity-related health risks and the increasing prevalence of overweight status and obesity among Mexican-Americans, it is vital that providers are involved in finding ways to effectively educate and/or treat overweight patients.
authors: Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1084, USA. hnguyen@wfubmc.edu
authors: Ha T
authors: HT
authors: Nguyen
authors: Kyriakos S
authors: KS
authors: Markides
authors: Marilyn A
authors: MA
authors: Winkleby
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003376:Counseling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult