While your job is to treat patients in the office, how can you influence their health once they go home? After all, how can doctors possible promote a healthy lifestyle to patients of various ages, backgrounds, needs and preferences?
Strategies to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle
Since there’s no standardized approach to healthy living, having multiple strategies ready can help you find success. Here are some top ways to encourage a healthy lifestyle, categorized by age group:
Pediatrics (Infants and Kids)
Forming healthy habits should start as early in life as possible. Since many doctors have long-term relationships with kids, they are vital in establishing these practices early.
When discussing lifestyles with children and their families, try:
- Assessing social determinants of health: Determine if the family experiences barriers that may make better habits more difficult. These factors could include poverty, stress, food insecurity and racism. Refer families to the appropriate community resources, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
- Reviewing family medical history: If possible, learn more about the parents’ and grandparents’ medical histories. This information helps you decide if a child is at risk of developing a chronic disease.
- Taking a family-centered approach: Encourage family members to model healthy habits for their children. For example, consider suggesting families start a new eating routine or reduce screen time together.
Remember to avoid stigmatizing language when discussing healthy routines with families. Focus on medical terminology and person-first language.
Adolescents (Teens and Young Adults)
As children become more independent, they have different physical and social-emotional needs. While collaborating with parents is still beneficial, you should also speak directly to the teenager.
When encouraging healthy habits in adolescents, try these tips:
- Nutritious eating: While saying “eat healthy meals” is one thing, getting the teenager to try it is entirely different. Suggest that they help cook or search for interesting recipes. You can also provide ideas for wholesome snacks between classes or practices—like smoothies or granola bars.
- Mindful language: Consider what you say and how you say it when talking to adolescents. For example, stigmatizing language about weight or mental health can be harmful. Instead, use respectful, person-first terms.
- Physical activity: Ask teenagers and young adults about their preferences for physical activity. Remind them of the sports teams or clubs available at school or make suggestions about local groups they can join.
- Self-monitoring: For teens who want to take an active role in improving their habits, talk to them about self-monitoring. For example, they could keep a food log or use an app to track screen use to become familiar with their routines and how they affect well-being.
Teaching teens to be proactive can help them live healthily earlier, making the transition to adult lifestyle routines easier.
Adults (Grown Ups)
Physicians should continue promoting healthy lifestyles to adults. Whether your patients are full-time workers, stay-at-home parents or fitness gurus, they can all use helpful advice.
Here are a few ways to appeal to adults:
Educate
One of the most beneficial ways to encourage adults to adopt beneficial practices is to teach them about healthy habits. Many people may want to change but aren’t sure how to start, and that’s where patient education comes into play.
Educate patients about setting reasonable goals and tracking progress. Provide relevant pamphlets and resources that fit their interests, like apps or local groups.
Probe
Some topics, like weight, can be trickier to discuss than others. While you can start the conversation, don’t push the patient if they’re unwilling to have the discussion.
Instead, you can ask probing questions about their habits, like who cooks at home or their favorite physical activity.
Minimize
You can also ask the patient about barriers to healthy routines. For example, they may lack transportation to the gym. Finances could affect the types of food they eat. Or they may have a disability that influences the kind of physical activity they can do.
Understanding these concerns can help you provide recommendations on how to help people work around them.
Geriatrics (Older People)
Once adults surpass retirement age, they may need specialized care. Part of that care can be tailoring habits to the person’s changing needs.
Tips for how to promote a healthy lifestyle for older adults include:
- Regular well visits: Older patients should have at least one well visit a year, though they may benefit from more depending on their needs. Use these visits to screen for heart disease, arthritis, dementia and other prevalent conditions.
- Appropriate physical activity: Encourage patients and caregivers to try activities focusing on strength, balance and aerobics.
- Up-to-date vaccinations and preventative care: Suggest that older individuals receive appropriate vaccinations. You can also discuss behavior modifications and routine screenings, like colonoscopies.
- Improved socialization: Help older people fight isolation by finding ways to engage with others, from friends to community members. Some examples are bingo night at the senior center, a book club or water aerobics classes.
- Well-rounded diet: Teach older adults and caregivers about an appropriate diet for their needs. You can provide suggestions tailored to specific health and/or use resources like MyPlate.
With older adults, the main goal of well-rounded living habits is to help maintain their quality of life, which should be the focus of your care.
Keep an Eye on the Latest Healthy Living Trends
From new technology to better diet recommendations, continuing medical education (CME) can help you stay updated on the latest in healthy living.
Stay at the forefront of your field and help patients of all ages with relevant CME credits. Find in-person, online and on-demand seminars today to get started!