Doctors: fighting fit or couch potatoes

Kunal Gupta ¹ and Lampson Fan ^1*

¹ NHS, United Kingdom

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: dr.l.fan{at}doctors.org.uk.

Accepted 3 September 2008

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate how Doctors compared to the UK average, in terms of Department-of-Health recommended thirty-minutes of moderate-exercise, at least five times-per-week. Further hypotheses tested include whether those with on-site gym facilities are more likely to meet the recommendations, than those without, and whether those meeting DOH-recommendations at medical school, continue as Doctors.

Design: Each candidate answered 21 questions including demographics, exercise-habits and general-health. Data were analysed statistically using Student's t-test, Fisher's, McNemara's test.

Setting: Bedford Hospital, West Middlesex University Hospital.

Participants: 61 foundation and specialty trainees were randomly recruited.

Interventions: Independent variable was the presence of exercise facilities.

Main outcome measures: The number of participants currently meeting DOH-recommendations. We recorded the reason each participant gave, if they did not do so.

Results: 32 female, 29 male, median BMI 23.5, 6% smokers; 11% ex-smokers, ~10% drank excess alcohol, (n=61). Only 21% met DOH-exercise-recommendations, significantly lower than national average (p<0.001). Of the 79% who did not, 58% blamed no time, 29% lacked motivation and 13% no facilities. Conversely, more doctors without on-site gym facilities met DOH-recommendations, than those with (p<0.05). 64% met DOH-exercise-recommendations as medical-students, of whom, only 23% do now (p<0.0001).

Conclusion: The Doctors in this study exercise less than average. However, those with on-site facilities did not meet DOH-recommendations more than those without. Few of those who met the DOH recommendations as medical students, continued as Doctors. This is especially worrying. The combination of a heavy work-load, lack of time and poor motivation contributes to the lack of exercise.