Academy Resources Encourage Dialogue About Fitness

The AAFP is distributing a children's book and DVD this month to 36,000 active members and more than 450 residency programs. The waiting room materials are intended to encourage patients to talk to their family physicians about fitness and increase patient counseling. The end goal is to reduce childhood obesity.

"Childhood obesity is a multifaceted problem, and family physicians are experts at dealing with complex issues that involve individuals, families and communities," said Michelle May, M.D., of Phoenix. May is co-author of the book, F is for Fitness (Members Only), and one of the narrators of the DVD, "Make a Change for Family Fitness" (Members Only).

"Their cross-generational practices, long-term relationships and comprehensive skill set make family physicians the ideal hub for the information and motivation necessary to engage individuals in healthy lifestyles," said May.

The book, which encourages children to eat well and stay active, is printed in English with Spanish translations on each page. It is meant for parents and children to read together while waiting to see their family physician. May said engaging parents is critical in improving the health of their children.

"Parents are their children's most important teachers, and what they do is even more important than what they say," said May, a member of the AAFP Commission on Health of the Public and Science. "When a family physician has a patient-centered conversation about healthy eating and physical activity during an office visit, he or she has underscored the importance of these lifestyle choices for the family's overall health."

The DVD, which has English and Spanish tracks, is intended to be played in waiting rooms.

"The book and the DVD are designed to get families thinking about their own lifestyle choices and about their family physician as a positive, credible person to ask for help in making changes," May said. "Physicians often comment that it can be challenging to start a conversation about fitness. We hope that these waiting room tools will open the door to improved two-way communication about these critical issues."

The book and DVD are a project of the AAFP's Americans In Motion initiative and were made possible via a grant from MetLife Foundation with support from the AAFP Foundation.

The AAFP produced 65,000 copies of the book and 50,000 DVDs. A mailing this month will deliver the materials, free of charge, to 36,000 active members who indicated in their practice profile that they treat children. The remaining materials will be available free to members at AAFP events and in the Academy's catalog.

The book and DVD direct families to the Academy's patient education Web site, FamilyDoctor.org, for additional information about health and fitness.

"Lifestyle issues have a profound effect on our patients' health and well-being, so it is essential to address them consistently and effectively," May said. "Small steps add up to big changes, so simple messages and attainable goals are key."