title: Nutrition and physical activity guidance practices in general practice: a critical review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this critical review is to provide insight into the main outcomes of research on communication about nutrition and/or physical activity between GPs and patients for prevention or treatment of overweight and obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relevant studies were identified by a computerized search of multiple electronic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO) for all available papers between 1 January 1995 and 1 January 2012. In addition, two independent reviewers judged all studies on ten quality criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 41 studies were retrieved. More studies were found about the guidance of obese patients than of overweight patients. The most common weight guidance practice was discussion of weight. The range of communication strategies for nutrition showed to be more diverse than for physical activity. Twelve studies were considered as high-quality studies, 18 were having medium quality, and 11 were seen as low quality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We reflected on the fact that the content of advice about nutrition and physical activity was quite general. GPs' provision of combined lifestyle advice to overweight and obese patients seems to be rather low.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Observational research is needed to unravel the quality of the advice given by GPs to overweight and obese patients.
authors.affiliation: Strategic Communication, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands. sonja.vandillen@wur.nl
authors.forename: Sonja M E
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: van Dillen
authors.forename: Jaap J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: van Binsbergen
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Koelen
authors.forename: Gerrit J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hiddink
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009752:Nutritional Status; D050177:Overweight / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'