Physical inactivity among physicians

To determine whether physicians in Saskatoon encourage their patients to be physically active through their advice and lifestyle.

Mail survey.

Saskatoon.

All 451 physicians holding privileges in the three Saskatoon hospitals who were in regular contact with patients.

Physical activity was quantified by means of the methods developed in the Canada Health Survey (CHS). Additional questions evaluated physicians' attitudes toward the importance of physical activity to themselves and their patients.

A total of 210 physicians (47%) returned the questionnaire. Of the respondents 30% were in the active category as compared with the national average of 39% (p less than 0.05). This difference was accounted for mainly by the lower activity level of the male physicians aged 25 to 44 years. The difference is even more striking when the physicians were compared with people in managerial and professional occupations in the CHS, of whom 46% were active (p less than 0.001). Surprisingly, in light of these result whom 46% were active (p less than 0.001). Surprisingly, in light of these results, most of the respondents felt that physical activity was important to themselves and to their patients.

Although the physicians were less active physically than the general population they believed that exercise was important to them personally and that patients should be counselled about physical activity. Further study is needed to determine how applicable these results are to Canadian physicians in general.