title: Family physicians prescribing lifestyle medicine: feasibility of a national training programme.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The actual causes of the preponderance of non-communicable chronic diseases are related to unhealthy behaviours, such as poor nutrition, physical inactivity and tobacco use. Our goal was to evaluate the feasibility of training in lifestyle medicine (LM) for family physicians, which could be included in 'Healthy Israel 2020', a national initiative created to enhance the health of Israelis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six providers participated in a 1-year certificate of completion in LM. A control group included 21 providers who participated in a similar musculoskeletal training programme. Pre/post data were collected in both groups of participants' attitudes and self-efficacy to prescribe LM and personal health behaviours. Mid/post feedback was collected in the study group participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Physicians in the LM training represented a nationwide distribution and attended >80% of the programmes' meetings. They reported positive outcomes in most areas after the intervention compared with baseline. Five variables reached statistical significance: potential to motivate patients to improve exercise behaviours (p<0.05), confidence in one's knowledge about LM (p=0.01) and counselling (p<0.01), particularly related to exercise (p=0.02) and smoking cessation (p<0.05). The control group demonstrated one significant change: potential to motivate patients to change behaviours to lose weight (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A training programme in LM appears feasible and could have a positive impact on interested family physicians' attitudes and confidence in prescribing LM. Thus, 'Healthy Israel 2020' and other programmes worldwide, which aim to improve health behaviours and decrease the impact of chronic diseases, might consider including family physicians training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Department of Family Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel Israeli Society of Lifestyle Medicine, Israeli Association of Family Physicians, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Rani
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Polak
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shani
authors.affiliation: School of Arts and Sciences, MCPHS University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dacey
authors.affiliation: Israeli Society of Lifestyle Medicine, Israeli Association of Family Physicians, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Adva
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tzuk-Onn
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, Maccabi Health Service, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dagan
authors.affiliation: Israeli Society of Lifestyle Medicine, Israeli Association of Family Physicians, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Lilach
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Malatskey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004493:Education / Q000592:standards; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D000070497:Healthy Lifestyle; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D011315:Preventive Medicine / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods; D013192:Staff Development / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: MEDICAL EDUCATION & TRAINING; NUTRITION & DIETETICS; PREVENTIVE MEDICINE; PRIMARY CARE; PUBLIC HEALTH; SPORTS MEDICINE