How do rural GPs manage their inactive and overweight patients? A pilot study of rural GPs in Queensland

Abstract

The increasing burden of chronic disease places greater demands on primary care to develop and implement strategies to manage lifestyle risk factors. Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for chronic disease. Physical activity, by reducing patients’ weight and increasing their wellbeing, has been identified as an important means to manage these factors. Studies show that intervention and advice through primary care is effective in increasing physical activity in patients;1–4 however little is known about weight management strategies used in rural primary care.