HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by van Weel, C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by van Weel, C. Agricola Articles by van Weel, C.

Dietary advice in family medicine^1,2,3

¹ From the Department of Family Medicine, University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

This article discusses the conceptual basis of dietary advice in family medicine. Given the large number of illnesses and diseases encountered in family practice for which diet and nutrition are relevant interventions, food-related advice is an important part of daily practice. To enhance the effectiveness of diet-related advice and counseling in family practice, it should be linked to the strengths of the family physician: 1) the patient-centered approach, which allows for tailor-made advice; and 2) the continuity of care, which provides the family physician with several contacts over time to present and reinforce advice. From this position, family physicians should approach their patients with advice and counseling in "ready bits" that fit into the time constraints of regular consultations and make sure these bits are consistent over time and address specific individual patients’ values and barriers with regard to modification of food habits. Orientation of patients’ expressed readiness to change can present a template of patient-centeredness. Primary care nutritional guidelines should in particular acknowledge the strengths of family medicine.

Key Words: Family physician • advice and counseling • patient-centeredness • continuity of care • primary care

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. M. Emmons, A. M. Stoddard, R. Fletcher, C. Gutheil, E. G. Suarez, R. Lobb, J. Weeks, and J. A. Bigby Cancer Prevention Among Working Class, Multiethnic Adults: Results of the Healthy Directions-Health Centers Study Am J Public Health, July 1, 2005; 95(7): 1200 - 1205. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. J van Binsbergen, B. C Delaney, and C. van Weel Nutrition in primary care: scope and relevance of output from the Cochrane Collaboration Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, April 1, 2003; 77(4): 1083S - 1088. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A S. Truswell, G. J Hiddink, and J. Blom Nutrition guidance by family doctors in a changing world: problems, opportunities, and future possibilities Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, April 1, 2003; 77(4): 1089S - 1092. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]