The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the American Heart Association recommend that all primary care physicians offer their patients counseling to promote physical activity, a healthy diet and smoking cessation as part of the preventive health examination. The booklet is directed to persons with heart disease and discusses coronary heart disease, the role of cholesterol in coronary heart disease, the role of diet in cholesterol levels, and cholesterol-lowering medications.
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The data indicate that a high percentage of office visits in 1995 did not include counseling for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Physicians reported offering counseling about physical activity during 19.1 percent of office visits, diet during 22.8 percent and weight reduction during 10.4 percent. The prevalence of counseling was lowest in the South and highest in the Midwest. Cardiologists and family or general physicians were more likely than other specialists to provide counseling about physical activity, diet and weight reduction. To promote counseling for the prevention of cardiovascular disease by all physicians, the CDC recommends training programs to increase the emphasis on preventive counseling.