When AAFP's fitness initiative -- Americans in Motion, or AIM -- kicked off at the 2003 Scientific Assembly, organizers launched a study to determine how fit family physicians are. That study was aptly titled, "How Fit Is Our Specialty?"
Now chapters will be able to participate in fact-gathering for AIM. Investigators in December received local institutional review board approval to extend the study from the original population of FPs who signed up at Assembly to FPs in constituent chapters.
At the Assembly, researchers gathered baseline body mass index levels for the 839 FPs who volunteered for the study, and the FPs self-reported their physical activity. Participants received a pedometer, compliments of Tanita, and were encouraged to enroll in the Active Lifestyle Award, a program of the President's Challenge (http://www.presidentschallenge.org/) that recognizes persons for achieving fitness goals. Pending funding, this cohort of FPs will be followed and the project will be replicated at the 2004 Assembly.
So far, 21 chapters have expressed interest in participating in the study. Having chapters participate will strengthen the study and allow investigators to stratify results geographically, says principal investigator Angela DeJulius, M.D., of Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine, Rootstown.
"The key to AIM is that doctors will bring the message to patients," says DeJulius. "Bringing it to the state chapters will get more members involved."
Constituent chapters that agree to replicate the research project will begin data collection at their annual meetings in 2004. The Nevada AFP, at its meeting this month, hopes to be the first to enroll FPs in the study.
Chapters may still enter the "How Fit Is Our Specialty?" study. Contact Sarah McMullen at (800) 274-2237, Ext. 3136, or e-mail smcmulle@aafp.org to learn more.
To reach writer Toni Lapp, e-mail tlapp@aafp.org.
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