Exercise Consultation in Obese Youth

The contents of the exercise booklet was reviewed with each participant of the control group by the research fellow. Health Canada's "Canada's Physical Activity Guide for Youth" was used for the exercise booklet

The exercise consultation consisted of a one-to-one discussion designed to educate the participant, strengthen his/her motivation and develop realistic goals and strategies to promote physical activity based on the patient's stage of change. The consultation was based upon the standardized protocol previously published by Loughlan and Mutrie. The Consultation Guidelines describe the 5 steps involved in an exercise consultation, including: 1) discussing current \& past activities; 2) reviewing the pros \& cons of exercising; 3) discussing the barriers to exercising and strategies for overcoming them; 4) determining the social support available to the patient; and finally, 5) setting realistic, attainable short term and long term goals to enhance physical activity.