“Exercise is Medicine” Launches Program at He's Fit

Click here for the Lead Stories

“Exercise is Medicine” Launches Program

Posted December 3, 2007 at 03:30 PM by Denise Musumeci

Section: In The News, His Health, Physical Health, Lifestyle Health

man pushup Last month, The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Medical Association (AMA) launched the Exercise is Medicine program as a way to prescribe exercise to their patients. The idea is to get patients to incorporate exercise into their daily routine.

The AMSC conducted a survey of the public and found that 65% of the population would be more interested in exercising to stay healthy if advised by their doctor and given additional resources. Although doctors suggests exercise as part of your daily routine, only about 40% actually make suggestions on which types of exercises patients should practice.

Inactivity is a huge public concern today. It is partly responsible for a variety of chronic diseases and complications, including diabetes, obesity, depression, and heart problems, to name a few. Adding a little bit of exercise in one’s daily routine can significantly improve overall health and help prevent chronic diseases and cancer.

The Exercise is Medicine program is launching a campaign to persuade the public to participate in 30 minutes of exercise and 10 minutes of stretching at least five days a week. This program also started a website so physicians can have toolkits and educational information to use on their patients right at their fingertips. There are also educational materials for medical students to use so they can prescribe exercise to their patients early in their careers.

ama More than fifty percent of Americans do not get enough exercise daily. Nearly all doctors would agree with Dr. Robert David, president of the AMA that a thirty-minute walk a few times a week will make a huge difference in the overall health of Americans.

The goal of the Exercise is Medicine program is to get doctors to get all doctors to prescribe exercise to their patients and offer advice on which exercise patients should perform. This will hopefully encourage more Americans to get the exercise they need take the next step into better overall health. To learn more, visit the Exercise is Medicine website.

Research sources and for more information: [Medical News Today]; [picture]; [picture top]