Nutrition care in general practice – are we waiting for patients to ask?

Abstract

General practitioner encounters for chronic disease management increased considerably between 1998 and 2008. In particular, patients presenting for the management of hypertension increased from 8.3 to 9.9 per 100 encounters; type 2 diabetes mellitus from 2.6 to 3.7 per 100 encounters; and lipid disorders from 2.5 to 3.7 per 100 encounters. In 2010, chronic disease management was estimated to comprise over one-third of the average GP's consultation workload.