Lack of Time, Training among Top Barriers to Physical Activity Counseling in Primary Care Setting

According to a new study, only 30%-50% of US physicians regularly provide counseling on physical activity to their patients, and providers are uncertain about the effectiveness of their counseling, feeling they can only provide general advice about the importance of physical activity due to their lack of training in health promotion. Lack of time, knowledge and training in health promotion and lack of success with changing patient behavior were among the top barriers to including effective physical activity counseling in the primary care setting, according to research by The University of Texas School of Public Health. Evidence suggests that the most effective counseling includes more than just telling the patient they need to exercise or that exercise is important.