Weight management including dietary and physical activity advice provided by Australian physiotherapists: a pilot cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Physiotherapists may have an impact on obesity prevention and treatment by providing nutrition and physical activity advice to overweight or obese clients; yet little is known about physiotherapists' beliefs and practices related to client weight management. The aim of this pilot study was to determine the practices, beliefs, attitudes and knowledge of physiotherapists regarding the provision of weight management advice to overweight or obese clients. Physiotherapists (n = 65) working in multiple practice settings completed a self-administered questionnaire. Logistic regression determined factors associated with the provision of dietary and physical activity advice for weight management. The majority of physiotherapists (n = 53 [81.5%]) believed providing weight management advice was within their scope of practice, yet only a minority had received training during their professional entry level education (n = 13 [20%]) or through professional development (n = 7 [11%]). Most physiotherapists (n = 55 [84.6%]) provided physical activity advice for weight management, but a minority (n = 27 [41.5%]) provided dietary advice. Having received training in weight management during their professional entry level education was associated with providing dietary advice (Odds ratio 8.8, 95% confidence interval 2.0-38.9, p = 0.004). Training in weight management may increase the likelihood of physiotherapists providing dietary advice, improving physiotherapists' management of obesity.

Weight stigma in health: (re)thinking weight in a physiotherapy context

“…An Australian pilot study showed similar results with 84.6% of physiotherapists saying they provided physical activity advice and 41.5% saying they provided dietary advice (Snodgrass et al, 2014). Physiotherapists in this study also reported using observation (60.0%) or BMI (47.7%) to determine whether patients were overweight; however, they tended to use weight in kilograms as a monitoring outcome measure.…”

“…Similarly, in a survey of Australian physiotherapists, Snodgrass et al (2014) found that over 80% of participants considered weight management to be part of their scope of practice. Interestingly, in the same study, under 20% of the participants reported receiving any formal training in weight management.…”

“…Over the past two decades physiotherapists have increasingly integrated holistic health advice, in part comprising "healthy lifestyle" messages such as weight management, into their practice (Alexander, Rosenthal, & Evans, 2011;Snodgrass et al, 2014). For example, it is becoming commonplace for physiotherapy leaders to encourage assimilation of weight management into research and practice (Dripps, 2014;Physiopedia, 2011).…”

“…20 (6) (Snodgrass et al, 2014;. Messages encouraging integration of weight management into physiotherapy have become fairly commonplace from physiotherapy leaders and in popular physiotherapy forums (e.g., Dripps, 2014;Physiopedia, 2011).…”

Manipulating practices: A critical physiotherapy reader

“…Clearly, there is a need for more focused research in the area, which can inform the creation of healthcare practices that better support individuals in achieving health and wellness (independent of body weight). This is of particular relevance for physiotherapists who are frequently involved in such anti-obesity programs (Snodgrass, Carter, Guest, Collins, James et al, 2014). With this goal in mind, we used a critical-embodiment lens to examine experiences of a lifestyle intervention for teens.…”