WASHINGTON, April 9 (UPI) -- The majority of U.S. physicians and nurses say they engage in the healthy behaviors they recommend to their patients, a survey indicated.
Eighty-two percent of the doctors say they try to eat a balanced diet, 73 percent say they exercise regularly and 72 percent say they take vitamins and other supplements, the survey of 1,177 healthcare professionals found. The poll surveyed 300 primary care physicians, 301 OB/GYNs, 299 other physician specialists and 277 registered nurses and nurse practitioners.
Eighty-seven percent of the nurses say they try to eat a balanced diet, 89 percent take supplements and 67 percent say they exercise regularly. Eighty-one percent of nurses seek out advice from other healthcare professionals, while 48 percent of doctors say they visit a healthcare professional regularly.
Ninety percent of the doctors and 86 percent of the nurses say they don't smoke, while 4 percent of physicians and 3 percent of nurses say they often consume large quantities of alcohol and 28 percent of physicians and 33 percent of nurses say they consume large quantities of caffeine.
The survey was conducted by Ipsos-Public Affairs and has a margin of error of 5.6 percent to 5.9 percent for each of the four groups of healthcare professionals surveyed.
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