Inspiring and Supporting Behaviour Change

Citation

Constance, A. and Sauter, C. (2012), "Inspiring and Supporting Behaviour Change", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 42 No. 1, pp. 59-59. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2012.42.1.59.1

For any health practitioner – whether nurses, doctors or dietitians – advice is commonly provided to patients about lifestyle changes they could easily make to improve their health and condition. However, while some do follow the advice to the letter for many years many do not, with a frustrating situation for the health practitioner as they see a patient deteriorate and apparently reject advice.

In this book both authors describe how to take a patient‐centred approach so that advice given is appropriate to the patient and thus more easily followed. Such an approach is both cost‐effective and appropriate as both patient and health professional work as equals in working toward a common goal. This prevents the problems of non‐compliant patients, which all too frequently occurs.

Throughout the book are really excellent case histories of so‐called “unreachable patients” and these could be ideal as teaching tools for students and new practitioners.

The book is easy to read and thought provoking and indeed should be mandatory for all healthcare practitioners.