News Release

Doctors practicing healthy lifestyles more likely to preach it to patients

Peer-Reviewed Publication

American Heart Association

Physicians who have more healthy habits are more likely than doctors without such habits to recommend five important lifestyle modifications to patients, including eating healthy, limiting sodium, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol and being more physically active.

In a survey of 1,000 physicians about their lifestyles and whether they recommend national guideline lifestyle modifications to patients with high blood pressure, researchers found:

  • Four percent smoked at least once a week.
  • Almost 39 percent ate the recommended five or more cups of fruits and vegetables a week.
  • About 27 percent exercised five or more days a week.
  • About 66 percent made all five lifestyle recommendations to patients.
  • Doctors who exercised at least once a week or didn't smoke were about twice as likely to recommend the five interventions.

###

The study's lead author is Olivia Y. Hung, M.D., Ph.D., Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga., and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Co-authors are Nora L. Keenan, Ph.D. and Jing Fang, M.D. Author disclosures are on the manuscript.

Statements and conclusions of study authors that are presented at American Heart Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect association policy or position. The association makes no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at www.heart.org/corporatefunding.

NR12-1043 (Epi/NPAM 2012/Hung)

Note: Actual presentation is 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m.ET Wednesday, March 14, 2012.

Additional Resources:

  • For more about healthy lifestyles: the American Heart Association's My Life Check.


Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.