AMA Healthier Life Steps™
Information and resources for patients
A patient-physician partnership for a longer, healthier life
Four key health behaviors, poor diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and excessive or risky use of alcohol, are significantly related to heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other conditions.
This program provides a tool-kit to help you partner with your physician to improve these key health behaviors. The tool-kit includes a self-assessment questionnaire, action plans, and progress tracking calendars, as well as links to other resources. Talk to your physician about your plans to make sure you are on the right track and getting the support you need to make these changes in a healthy way.
Physicians, access additional materials to help you help your patients make needed lifestyle changes.
Tool-kit
Patient self-assessment questionnaire (Spanish version)
Fill out this short questionnaire and discuss it with your physician or other health care provider. This will help determine the next steps to take to improve your lifestyle behaviors.
Action plans/tip sheets
What specific behaviors are you ready to change? In partnership with your physician, narrow down what you can do now and learn how to maintain these changes. Once you begin making healthy changes, you'll see how easy it is to do even more, one step at a time!
- Healthy eating (Spanish version)
- Physical activity (Spanish version)
- Reducing risky drinking (Spanish version)
- Quitting smoking (Spanish version)
Progress tracking calendars
Track your efforts to start and maintain healthier behaviors.
- All healthy behaviors - summary calendar
(Spanish version) - Healthy eating (Spanish version)
- Physical activity (Spanish version)
- Reducing risky drinking (Spanish version)
- Quitting smoking (Spanish version)
Other resources
Healthy eating
Get started on making healthier eating a part of your busy lifestyle!
Physical activity
It's easy and fun to sneak some extra activity into every day, whether at home, work, or school; every extra step counts!
Reducing risky drinking
Did you know that excessive or binge drinking increases your risk of accidents, stroke, and other conditions? Learn your limits, and how to cut back.
Quitting smoking
No level of tobacco use is safe, for you or for those around you. Learn what you can do to quit; it's never too late.
BMI calculator
Are you at a healthy weight? Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) to find out. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have BMI calculators and other resources to help you and your family achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Get the most out of your visits with your doctor
- Questions to ask your doctor
Learn the three questions to always ask your doctor or other health care provider, from the Partnership for Clear Health Communication at the National Patient Safety Foundation - Family history
An accurate family health history can help your doctor or other health care provider assess your risk of disease and better advise you on the most important steps you can take to improve your health. The US Surgeon General's Family History Initiative offers a free, online tool called My Family Health Portrait to help you create a personalized family health history report to share with your doctor or other health care professional.
The AMA also offers a family health history form for you to take to your doctor.
Building a Healthier Chicago
Chicago residents: Learn more about what Building a Healthier Chicago can do for you.
Questions or comments? Please contact us at Healthier.LifeSteps@ama-assn.org
The AMA Healthier Life Steps™ materials can be reproduced or duplicated and distributed without charge for noncommercial purposes. All copies must include the American Medical Association's copyright notice and contain no change in the content or format of the publication. Any other uses require AMA's prior written consent.
