Fat, unfit, unmotivated: Cardiologist, heal thyself

Practice what you preach: Better physician habits, better patient care

A recent study in Vancouver, showed that cardiologists are not living, eating, and acting like the kind of physicians who can truly motivate patients to improve their own health.

Dr. McCrindle reviewed studies looking at what factors influenced the likelihood of physicians counseling their patients about healthy behaviors, diet, and weight loss, citing data showing that physicians who had better health habits themselves were more likely to counsel patients about their habits.

Similarly, physicians who exercised regularly were more likely to recommend regular exercise in their patients, and among female doctors, those who practiced a health habit themselves or were currently attempting to improve a health habit were more likely to urge a similar behavior in the patients. Other studies clearly show that patients are more likely to be receptive to counseling if their physicians are normal weight or if they are open about their own healthy habits.

If we expect our patients to make health behavior changes (e.g., exercising, eating a healthy diet, reducing salt intake, etc.) to prevent disease or prevent the progression of their chronic illnesses, than docs should also set an example.