To evaluate the nutritional quality of products advertised on television (TV) during children's viewing time in Spain, applying the UK nutrient profile model (UKNPM).

We recorded 80 h of four general TV station broadcasts during children's viewing time in May and June 2008, and identified all advertisements for foods and beverages. Nutritional information was obtained from the product labels or websites and from food composition tables. Each product was classified as healthy (e.g. gazpacho, a vegetable juice) or less healthy (e.g. potato crisp snacks) according to the UKNPM criteria.

Four free-of-charge TV channels in Spain: two national channels and two regional ones.

TV commercials of food and beverages.

A total of 486 commercials were broadcast for ninety-six different products, with a mean frequency of 5·1 advertisements per product. Some 61·5 % of the ninety-six products were less healthy, and the percentage was higher for foods (74·1 %). All (100 %) of the breakfast cereals and 80 % of the non-alcoholic drinks and soft drinks were less healthy. Of the total sample of commercials, 59·7 % were for less healthy products, a percentage that rose to 71·2 % during children's reinforced protection viewing time.

Over half the commercials were for less healthy products, a proportion that rose to over two-thirds during the hours of special protection for children. This suggests that applying the UKNPM to regulate food advertising during this slot would entail the withdrawal of most food commercials in Spain. TV advertising of products with low nutritional quality should be restricted.

General practitioners (GP) are uniquely placed to guide their patients on nutrition and physical activity. The aims of the present study were to assess: (i) the extent to which GP guide on nutrition and physical activity; (ii) the determinants that cause GP to give guidance on nutrition and physical activity; and (iii) the extent to which these guidance practices have the same determinants.

Cross-sectional study, mail questionnaire.

Dutch general practice.

Four hundred and seventy-two GP in practice for 5–30 years.

Our study showed that the majority of GP had similar practices for both nutrition and physical activity guidance. Fair associations were found between nutrition and physical activity guidance practices. More than half of the explained variance in the models of physical activity guidance practices was improved by the inclusion of nutrition guidance practices in the models. Moreover, GP reported higher frequencies of physical activity guidance practices than nutrition guidance practices. Nutrition guidance practices predicted the same physical activity guidance practices.

The majority of GP had similar practices for nutrition and physical activity guidance. GP were more inclined to guide their patients on physical activity than on nutrition. Self-efficacy was found to be a determinant in most models for guidance practices. Guidance practices proved to be a mix of prevention and treatment components. Consequently, we advise raising the self-efficacy of GP by training in medical school and in continuing medical education. We also recommend the combination of both nutrition and physical activity guidance in general practice.

The objective of the present study was to determine whether nutrition knowledge differs between male and female physicians working in Kuwait City, Kuwait.

The study employed a cross-sectional analysis of physician's nutrition knowledge by using a sixteen-item multiple-choice questionnaire.

Governmental hospitals in Kuwait City, Kuwait.

One hundred Kuwaiti physicians (fifty males; fifty females) working in Kuwait City, Kuwait.

A response rate of 73 % was achieved (forty males; thirty-three females). The mean percentage of correctly answered questions was 60 %. The male and female physicians averaged 56 % and 65 % of correct responses, respectively (P = 0·042). However, only for two questions did male and female physicians’ scores differ significantly (P < 0·05). The two age groups (<40 years; ≥40 years) had equal mean total correct scores (60 %, P = 0·935). Physicians’ knowledge was greatest for topics that have received a great deal of media coverage in Kuwait. Most (70 %) of the physicians described their nutrition knowledge as ‘moderate’.

Physicians in Kuwait gave inaccurate information regarding common problems in Kuwaitis such as obesity, hypertension and osteoporosis. In view of the public's perception of the role of the physician in providing nutrition advice, it is imperative that nutrition and diet training be part of continuing medical education to bridge these deficiencies in physicians’ knowledge.