The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Ebeltoft project: baseline data from a five-year randomized, controlled, prospective health promotion study in a Danish population.
There is increasing political pressure on the medical profession to approach welfare diseases, such as coronary heart disease and diabetes, through prevention. General practitioners are required to offer regular health checks to healthy people, in spite of the lack of scientific evidence for the universal need, usefulness and side effects of such an intervention. Randomized controlled trials are needed. ⋯ There was considerable interest in participating in health promotion. Three out of four of those having a health check were given health advice. Two out of three of those offered a health talk with the general practitioner appeared willing to make relevant lifestyle changes. Long-term follow up is needed to determine effects and side effects of health checks and health talks.