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Introduction: Lifestyle medicine (LM) uses therapeutic lifestyle behavior change to address the root causes of chronic diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess family physicians' perceptions and utilization of LM principles in their primary care practices, as well as identify reported barriers to implementation. Methods: A survey was administered to 5770 family physicians registered with the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). The survey questions assessed the gap between perception and practice of LM core competencies and the 6 domains of LM. Results: The responses from 447 family physicians were included in the study. Respondents' perceived importance and reported practice was higher for clinical skills compared to the community partnerships and advocacy. There was a substantial gap in the reported comfort with and practice of certain LM domains, such as sleep (47%) and relationships (39.4%). However, LM board-certified physicians had a significantly higher frequency of practice in these domains. The majority of participants identified both difficulty with changing patient behavior (89%) and having limited time (81%) as major barriers to incorporate LM into their practice. Conclusion: Lifestyle medicine concepts resonate strongly with family physicians although gaps exist surrounding engaging in community partnerships, advocacy, and certain domains of LM. This study assesses family physicians' perceptions and utilization of LM principles in their primary care practices, and identifies reported barriers to implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the United States, with approximately one in five deaths due to CVD. Though the mortality rate is decreasing, racial disparities in outcomes have persisted.

This supplement is sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians. The project has been made possible with funding from Bristol Myers Squibb.

Screening and brief intervention (SBI) for alcohol use is a validated, evidence-based intervention to detect unhealthy drinking in the primary care setting and motivate patients to alter their behavior. However, incorporating alcohol SBI in the office setting can be challenging for family physicians due to time constraints, lack of training and comfort, and scarce resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]