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Background. Theory-based interventions on nutrition guidance practices of primary care physicians (PCPs) are thought to be more effective than those that do not use theory.Objective. To assess how often and which theoretical models of behaviour change are used in research on nutrition guidance practices of PCPs.Method. A review of articles published from 1995 to October 2008 (n = 111).Results. It was found that 45% of the articles in this review included theories or theoretical models of behaviour change. No difference in proportion of model use was found with time. Model use differed between type of study. In 29% of the articles, the Transtheoretical Model was used. Little was found on authors’ views on theoretical model applicability.Conclusions. Forty-five per cent of the articles on nutrition guidance practices of PCPs published from 1995 to October 2008 included theories or theoretical models of behaviour change. It would be beneficial for nutrition behaviour change research if more researchers use theoretical models and report on applicability of the selected theory, to increase effectiveness of nutrition guidance by PCPs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background. One of the stakeholders in tackling the rise and health consequences of overweight and obesity is the general practice physician (GP). GPs are in a good position to inform and give nutrition guidance to overweight patients.Objective. Assessment of working mechanism of determinants of the nutrition guidance practice: noticing patients’ overweight and guidance of treatment by GPs [linear analysis of structural relations (LISREL) path model] in a longitudinal study.Methods. This longitudinal study measured data in 1992, 1997 and 2007. The 1992 LISREL path model (Hiddink GJ, Hautvast J, vanWoerkum CMJ, Fieren CJ, vantHof MA. Nutrition guidance by primary-care physicians: LISREL analysis improves understanding. Prev Med 1997; 26: 29–36.) demonstrated that ‘noticing patients’ overweight and guidance of treatment’ was directly and indirectly influenced by predisposing factors, driving forces and perceived barriers. This article defines and discusses the path analysis of the 2007 data (compared with 1997).Results. This analysis shows both similarity and differences in working mechanism of determinants of noticing patients’ overweight and guidance of treatment between 1997 and 2007. The backbone of the mechanism with four predisposing factors is the similarity. The number of driving forces and of paths through intermediary factors to the dependent variable constitutes the difference.Conclusions. The backbone of the working mechanism of determinants of the nutrition guidance practice: noticing patients’ overweight and guidance of treatment by GPs was similar in 2007 and 1997. The influence of GPs task perception on noticing patients’ overweight and guidance of treatment considerably increased in 2007 compared to 1997. The longitudinal character of this article gives a strong practice-based evidence for weight management by GPs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]