title: Health promoting practices and personal lifestyle behaviors of Brazilian health professionals.
abstract: This study was conducted to examine the lifestyle behaviors and health promoting practices of physicians, nurses, and community health workers in Brazil.
  
  
  
  A random sample of primary health care units in Brazil was selected, and a pretested questionnaire was administered via phone interviews, in 2011, to 182 physicians, 347 nurses, and 269 community health workers, totaling 798 health professionals. The total initial sample included 1600 eligible health professionals. Variables measured included physical activity, alcohol intake, hours of sleep, diet, and perceived self-efficacy to provide preventive counseling on related lifestyle behaviors.
  
  
  
  More than 25 % of physicians, nurses, and community health workers reported eating 0-2 portions of fruits and vegetables per day. In terms of cervical and breast cancer, nurses reported to be 'very prepared' to advise patients on these topics more frequently than physicians. The prevalence of smoking ranged from 4.9 % among nurses to 7.4 % among community health workers. The proportion of physical inactivity ranged from 40.3 % among nurses to 52.1 % among community health workers.
  
  
  
  A reasonably high proportion of physicians, nurses, and community health workers report not engaging in healthy lifestyle behaviors that impact chronic diseases, thus, they may be less likely to encourage such behaviors in their patients.
authors: JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, JFK Medical Center, Edison, NJ, USA. khidalgo27@gmail.com.
authors: Karen D
authors: KD
authors: Hidalgo
authors: Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors: Grégore I
authors: GI
authors: Mielke
authors: Program in Physical Therapy, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors: Diana C
authors: DC
authors: Parra
authors: Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors: Felipe
authors: F
authors: Lobelo
authors: School of Medicine, Department of Health Management and Informatics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
authors: Eduardo J
authors: EJ
authors: Simões
authors: Gerontology Department, Federal University of Sao Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors: Grace O
authors: GO
authors: Gomes
authors: School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Alex A
authors: AA
authors: Florindo
authors: Center of Studies and Research Dr. João Amorim, CEJAM, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Mário
authors: M
authors: Bracco
authors: Pan-American Health Organization, Brasilia, Brazil.
authors: Lenildo
authors: L
authors: Moura
authors: Prevention Research Center in St. Louis, Washington University in St. Louis, Brown School, St. Louis, MO, USA.|School of Medicine, Division of Public Health Sciences and Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors: Ross C
authors: RC
authors: Brownson
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Pratt
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Luiz R
authors: LR
authors: Ramos
authors: Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors: Pedro C
authors: PC
authors: Hallal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D003150:Community Health Workers; D003376:Counseling; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D010820:Physicians; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Brazil; Counseling; Health care; Health promotion; Lifestyle behavior