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12.09.2024 13:00
Uncertain if lifestyle advice actually works
Healthcare professionals are increasingly giving advice to patients on how to improve their health, but there is often a lack of scientific evidence if this advice is actually beneficial. This is according to a study from the University of Gothenburg, which also guides towards more effective recommendations.
The researchers do not criticize the content of the advice – it is good if people lose weight, stop smoking, eat a better diet or exercise more. However, there is no evidence that patients actually change their lifestyle after receiving this advice from healthcare professionals.
“There is often a lack of research showing that counseling patients is effective. It is likely that the advice rarely actually helps people,” says Minna Johansson, Associate Professor at Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg and General Practitioner at Herrestad’s Healthcare Center in Uddevalla, who is the study’s lead author.
Few pieces of advice are well-founded
The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, was conducted by an international team of researchers. They have previously analyzed medical recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK. This organization is behind 379 recommendations of advice and interventions that healthcare professionals should give to patients, with the aim of changing their lifestyle.
In only 3% of cases there were scientific studies showing that the advice has positive effects in practice. A further 13% of this advice had some evidence, but with low certainty. The researchers also reviewed additional guidelines from other influential institutions around the world and found that these often overestimate the positive impact of the advice and rarely take disadvantages into account.
“Trying to improve public health by giving lifestyle advice to one person at a time is both expensive and ineffective. Resources would probably be better spent on community-based interventions that make it easier for all of us to live healthy lives,” says Minna Johansson, who also believes the advice could increase stigmatization for people with e.g., obesity.
Showing the way forward
Today’s healthcare professionals would not be able to give all the advice recommended while maintaining other care. The researchers’ calculations show that in the UK, for example, five times as many nurses would need to be hired, compared to current levels, to cope with the task.
The study also presents a new guideline to help policy makers and guideline authors consider the pros and cons of the intervention in a structured way before deciding whether or not to recommend it.
Victor Montori, Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in the United States is a co-author of the study:
“The guideline consists of a number of key questions, which show how to adequately evaluate the likelihood that the lifestyle intervention will lead to positive effects or not,” says Victor Montori.
Scientific contacts:
Minna Johansson, Associate Professor at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, tel. +46 733 10 61 70, e-mail minna.johansson@vgregion.se
Victor Montori, Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic, Minnesota, e-mail montori.victor@mayo.edu
Original publication:
Guidelines Recommending That Clinicians Advise Patients on Lifestyle Changes: A Popular but Questionable Approach to Improve Public Health,
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Minna Johansson
photo: Fredrik Johansson
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Journalists
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nationwide
Research results
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Can hope to achieve better health outcomes and enhance the well-being of the population as a whole.
Table of Contents
Uncertain if Lifestyle Advice Actually Works: A Study on the Effectiveness of Healthcare Professionals’ Recommendations
As healthcare professionals, one of the primary responsibilities is to provide patients with valuable advice on how to improve their health and well-being. However, a recent study from the University of Gothenburg has raised concerns about the effectiveness of such advice, highlighting the importance of relying on scientific evidence when making lifestyle recommendations.
Lack of Scientific Evidence
The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, reveals that healthcare professionals often provide patients with lifestyle advice that lacks scientific backing. While it is well-established that losing weight, quitting smoking, eating a healthier diet, and exercising more can have positive health outcomes, there is limited research to support the claim that patients actually make sustainable lifestyle changes as a result of receiving this advice.
Questionable Effectiveness of Counseling
Lead author Minna Johansson, Associate Professor at Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, notes that counseling patients on lifestyle changes is often costly and ineffective. Moreover, she emphasizes that resources would be better spent on community-based interventions that promote healthy living for the broader population.
Few Well-Founded Recommendations
The study analyzed 379 medical recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK, finding that only 3% of these recommendations were backed by scientific studies demonstrating positive effects in practice. An additional 13% had some evidence, but with low certainty. This raises concerns about the reliability of these recommendations and the potential risks of overestimating their benefits.
Stigmatization and Ineffectiveness
Providing lifestyle advice to individual patients can also lead to stigmatization, particularly for those struggling with obesity or other health issues. Furthermore, the study suggests that attempting to improve public health through one-on-one counseling is both expensive and ineffective.
A New Guideline for Policy Makers
To address these concerns, the researchers have developed a new guideline to help policy makers and guideline authors evaluate the pros and cons of lifestyle interventions in a structured way. This guideline consists of key questions that assess the likelihood of positive effects from these interventions.
Community-Based Interventions
The study suggests that community-based interventions, which make it easier for people to live healthy lives, are a more effective way to promote public health. By shifting the focus from individual counseling to broader, community-centered initiatives, healthcare professionals can more effectively support patients in making sustainable lifestyle changes.
Conclusion
The findings of this study underscore the importance of relying on scientific evidence when providing lifestyle advice to patients. Healthcare professionals must be aware of the limitations and potential risks of their recommendations, and policymakers must prioritize community-based interventions that promote healthy living for all. By doing so, we
– What are the main findings of the study from the University of Gothenburg regarding lifestyle advice?
Uncertain if Lifestyle Advice Actually Works
Healthcare professionals are increasingly giving lifestyle advice to patients, but a recent study from the University of Gothenburg raises questions about the effectiveness of this approach. The researchers found that while the advice itself may be sound, there is often a lack of scientific evidence to support the idea that it actually leads to positive changes in patients’ behavior.
Lack of Evidence
The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, analyzed medical recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK. The researchers found that in only 3% of cases, there were scientific studies showing that the advice had positive effects in practice. A further 13% of the advice had some evidence, but with low certainty. This lack of evidence raises concerns about the effectiveness of lifestyle advice in improving public health.
Ineffective and Expensive
According to Minna Johansson, Associate Professor at Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg and lead author of the study, “Trying to improve public health by giving lifestyle advice to one person at a time is both expensive and ineffective. Resources would probably be better spent on community-based interventions that make it easier for all of us to live healthy lives.” This approach could also lead to stigmatization of individuals with certain health conditions, such as obesity.
Resource Intensive
The researchers’ calculations show that in the UK, for example, five times as many nurses would need to be hired, compared to current levels, to cope with the task of giving lifestyle advice to all patients. This highlights the significant resources that would be required to implement this approach on a large scale.
A New Guideline
The study presents a new guideline to help policy makers and guideline authors consider the pros and cons of lifestyle interventions in a structured way before deciding whether or not to recommend them. This guideline consists of a number of key questions that show how to adequately evaluate the likelihood that the lifestyle intervention will lead to positive effects or not.
A Call to Action
The researchers are calling for a shift in focus from individual lifestyle advice to community-based interventions that can make a bigger impact on public health. By taking a more evidence-based approach, healthcare professionals can ensure that resources are used effectively to improve health outcomes for all.
Key Takeaways
There is often a lack of scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of lifestyle advice in improving health outcomes.
Giving lifestyle advice to patients can be expensive and ineffective.
Community-based interventions may be a more effective way to improve public health.
A new guideline can help policy makers and guideline authors evaluate the pros and cons of lifestyle interventions.
About the Study
The study was conducted by an international team of researchers from the University of Gothenburg and the Mayo Clinic in the United States. The researchers analyzed medical recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK and reviewed additional guidelines from other influential institutions around the world.
Scientific Contacts
Minna
