According to the WHO, over a quarter of the world's adult population isn't active enough. The proportion is greater still in high-income countries. Physicians are competent to give advice based on the patient's health status and are a trusted source of information.
But do doctors in Quebec have the time to discuss physical activity when they see patients, and what kind of advice do they give? These questions were investigated in a study conducted by Suzanne Laberge, a professor in Université de Montréal's School of Kinesiology and Physical Activity Sciences, Véronique Gosselin and Kim Lestage, graduates of the School, Miguel Chagnon, a statistician in UdeM's Department of Mathematics and Statistics, and Claude Guimond, director of continuing education at the FMOQ, Quebec's association of general practitioners. The study measured changes between 2010 and 2020 in the frequency with which Quebec family physicians offered advice on physical activity. In 2010, 702 physicians completed a questionnaire on how often they discussed physical activity with patients, the perceived barriers, needs for improvement in this area, their own physical activity and sociodemographic information.
In 2020, the same survey was repeated to document changes and 794 doctors completed the questionnaire. While the number of family doctors promoting physical activity increased significantly, they did so mainly for secondary prevention. The study found significant increases in the proportion of famil.
