Motivational interviewing (MI) is a client-centered approach to behavior change. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a 10-week intervention, using MI procedures, on selected measures of fitness, blood lipids (reflecting changes in exercise and dietary habits), and exercise adherence among 67 police officers—54 men and 13 women—in the southeastern United States. Multivariate analyses indicated significantly improved physical fitness and lipid profile scores between pre- and postintervention (p < .001). Adherence to the fitness regimen averaged 80% for cardiovascular activity and 75% for strength training. MI techniques appeared to markedly encourage selected changes in health behaviors (e.g., exercise, eating habits) among the police officers. The relatively few female officers in the study may limit the generalization of results to both genders.
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