BackgroundFor patients, usually the first and most preferred contact person on health issues is still the doctor and most persons see their doctor at least once a year. Therefore, physical activity counselling strategies delivered by a physician seem to be a promising approach for physical activity improvement. The aim of this work is to show prevalence and time trends in physical activity counselling by primary health care physicians from 1997–1999 to 2008–2011 in Germany.MethodsData from two representative cross-sectional health interview and examination surveys of the Robert Koch Institute were used. Prevalence proportions of physicians’ physical activity counselling and patients’ utilisation of health promotion programmes in relation to physical activity counselling were analysed. Strengths of associations were calculated by using binary logistic regression models. Overall, 11,907 persons aged 18–64 years were included in the analyses.ResultsPhysical activity counselling prevalence decreased from 11.1 to 9.4 % in men and from 9.3 to 7.7 % in women over ten years. Only persons with accumulated health risks (OR 5.33; 95 % CI 1.89–15.00) and persons with diagnosed diabetes mellitus (OR 3.42; 95 % CI 1.68–6.69) showed significantly higher counselling proportions in 2008–2011 compared to 1997–1999. Men were more often counselled on physical activity than women, but women showed significantly higher participation rates in physical activity promotion programmes in both surveys. In both sexes significantly higher participation rates could be observed in persons who had received some activity counselling by a physician.ConclusionAlthough, evidence underlines the positive health effects of regular physical activity; overall, physicians counselling behaviour on physical activity decreased over time. However, it is positive to note that a trend towards a disease-specific counselling behaviour in terms of a tailored intervention could be observed.

Unemployment is associated with health risks. Physical activity produces health benefits. This study examined the effects of a physical activity counseling and exercise referral scheme on physical-activity behavior in long-term unemployed individuals. In this study, 51 long-term unemployed persons received physical-activity counseling and exercise referral. Further, 21 unemployed and 17 employed persons with no intervention were included. Physical activity was measured over 7 consecutive days prior to and 12 weeks after counseling by accelerometer. Participants who started exercising increased their amount of moderate physical activity from 26 ± 14 to 35 ± 25 minutes/day and total physical activity from 207 ± 86 to 288 ± 126 counts/minute. Generally, unemployed persons were less active and less healthy compared to employed persons. Persons who are willing and motivated benefit from structured physical activity counseling and exercise referral and increase physical activity to a health promoting level. Physical activity inequalities could be reduced.

ObjectiveWhether participation in structured diabetes self-management education programs (DSME) for participants with diabetes mellitus is associated with a healthy lifestyle in routine care apart from randomized-controlled studies remains unclear and is this studies’ research question.Research design and methodsWe identified 1300 persons with diabetes mellitus drawn from the cross-sectional population-based analysis German Health Update 2014/2015 (GEDA 2014/2015), which integrated the modules of the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) wave 2. Of those, 816 were ever-DSME participants and 484 never-participants. We conducted multivariable weighted logistic regression analyses for lifestyle differences comparing ever-DSME and never-DSME participants. Lifestyle was defined by physical activity (PA), current smoking, fruit/vegetable consumption and body mass index (BMI). Age, sex, socioeconomic status, living together, limitation due to health problems for at least for 6 months, self-efficacy and attention to one’s health were included as confounders in the regression models.ResultsEver-DSME participants engaged significantly more often in cycling at least 1 day per week (OR 1.62, 95% CI: 1.15–2.30) and performed significantly more often aerobic endurance training of 150 min per week (including walking: OR 1.42, 95% CI: 1.03–1.94, without walking: OR 1.48, 95% CI: 1.08–2.03) compared with never-DSME participants. Ever-DSME participants were significantly more often ex-smoker compared with never-DSME participants (OR 1.39, 95% CI: 1.03–1.88). DSME attendance was not significantly associated with current smoking, BMI and fruit or vegetable consumption.ConclusionDSME participation is associated with a moderately healthier lifestyle particularly for PA even in routine healthcare. Study results emphasize the importance of a broadly dissemination of DSME access for nationwide diabetes healthcare. Future studies should adjust for DSME participation when investigating lifestyle in persons with diabetes.

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Zusammenfassung Einleitung Präventive Bewegungsberatungen durch niedergelassene Ärzte sind aktuell in Deutschland nicht großflächig implementiert. Das „Rezept für Bewegung“ will das ärztliche Bewegungsberatungsgespräch für inaktive Patienten verbindlicher gestalten. Ziel der Studie war es, die Wahrnehmung der Beratungsqualität aus Patientensicht und die daraus resultierenden Handlungsabsichten und -konsequenzen systematisch zu erfassen. Methode Unter Verwendung eines standardisierten 17-Item-Instruments wurden 173 Patienten 3,9 ± 1,0 Monat(e) nach ärztlicher Beratung hinsichtlich Beratungszufriedenheit sowie Handlungsintention und -konsequenz anonym befragt. Die Dissemination erfolgte durch 12 kooperierende Arztpraxen in 8 Sportkreisen des Landessportbundes Hessen. Ergebnisse Gemäß Fragebogenrücklauf konnten Angaben von 51 Patienten (56,1 ± 13,3 Jahre; 35w.) in die Auswertung eingeschlossen werden. Knapp 2/3 der Befragten waren in ihrer Lebensspanne vor Beratung sehr geringfügig körperlich aktiv (≤ 60 min/Woche). Die Beratung zum „Rezept für Bewegung“ wurde in 63 % der Fälle mit gut bis sehr gut bewertet. Nach eigenen Angaben besuchten mehr als die Hälfte der Befragten im Anschluss ein Bewegungsangebot im Verein, 53 % trieben mehr Sport, 51 % gestalteten ihren Alltag körperlich aktiver. Befragte, die die Ausführlichkeit der Beratung als gut bewerteten, trieben nach eigenen Angaben in der Folge der Beratung signifikant häufiger Sport als vor der Beratung OR 3,16 (95 % KI 1,07 – 9,33). Fast die Hälfte der Befragten wünschten sich zur Erleichterung des Einstieges in ein Bewegungsangebot mehr Unterstützung von ihrer Krankenkasse. Diskussion Ärztliche Beratung im Sinne des „Rezepts für Bewegung“ kann als ergänzendes Instrument zur Sensibilisierung für das Thema Bewegung und Gesundheit unterstützen und zu entsprechender Steigerung der körperlichen Aktivität beitragen.

Highlights First longitudinal data analyses on sports activity patterns and health. Long-standing sports activity engagement improves cardio-metabolic health. Starting regular sports activity reduces cardio-metabolic risk factor occurrence. Relapse from regular sports activity increases cardio-metabolic disease incidence.

Epidemiological data provide evidence that diabetes mellitus is a highly relevant public health issue in Germany as in many other countries. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is in the process of building a national diabetes surveillance system that is aimed at establishing indicator-based public health monitoring of diabetes population dynamics using primary and secondary data. The purpose of the workshop was to conduct an inventory of available secondary data sources and to discuss data contents, data access, data analysis examples in addition to the options for ongoing data use for diabetes surveillance.

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