Exercise Is Medicine is designed to help your doctor evaluate your physical activity.

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Has your doctor asked you questions about your level of physical activity? If so, you can be thankful. exercise is medicinea global health initiative managed by the American College of Sports Medicine.

Founded in 2007, the initiative encourages health care providers to assess patients' physical activity during visits and to include regular exercise in further care planning. The amount and type of exercise recommended by a health care professional should be determined based on each person's current health and abilities.

The philosophy behind this initiative is simple. Physical activity promotes optimal health. Regular physical activity can also help prevent and treat a variety of medical conditions. According to , overwhelming evidence links physical inactivity to poorer health and higher medical costs. 2020 articles Published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. The study concludes that health care and fitness programs should be integrated.

Additionally, research published by Intermountain Health, a Salt Lake City-based health system, found that people who are moderately to vigorously active for at least 150 minutes a week are more likely to receive medical treatment than sedentary people. The usage rate is said to be nearly half. Paper accepted for publication at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine.

The study also found that active people had half the total health care costs compared to sedentary people (defined as people who engaged in one minute of moderate to vigorous activity per week). said Dr. Elizabeth Joy, the health technology company's chief medical officer. Lore Health and she chairs the EIM Governance Committee.

Unfortunately, while EIM has expanded and achieved much success, only 22.9% of adult women and 17.8% of adult men received advice from a health professional to increase their physical activity levels. . 2022 U.S. National Health Interview SurveyJoy pointed out.

With the average primary care visit lasting less than 20 minutes and providers having to attend to many issues, it's no wonder so few people engage in physical activity, Joy says.

“It takes almost no time to write a prescription,” says Joy. “It takes much more time to do evidence-based behavior change counseling.”

Despite the lack of progress in the clinic, EIM has created numerous programs, initiatives, and exercise prescriptions to help people outside the clinic.

EIM currently includes: Exercise is medicine on campusFor example, programs that help universities promote and evaluate physical activity among students, faculty, and staff. To date, more than 200 of her schools in the United States and more than 20 international educational institutions have participated.

The EIM-OC program at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has achieved gold status, said Amy Campbell, associate director of recreation and wellness. This means the university regularly assesses and promotes physical activity on campus. The university offers benefits such as free personal training with exercise science majors, as well as extensive group fitness classes and wellness coaching.

While some of these services were in place before GVSU signed with EIM-OC, Campbell said the university is working more collaboratively to emphasize the importance of physical activity.

“The CARE team (which connects struggling students to support services) now constantly asks students, 'What do you do outside of class?'” Staying physically active mosquito? What’s a fun activity?’” Campbell said. “If there is an opportunity for them to work with our department, they will contact us. For example, if we have someone who cannot afford to participate in an on-campus program, we will make sure they have access.”

There is also that overcome cancer, the first disease-specific effort within EIM. The initiative supports exercise and rehabilitation programs for people living with cancer and those who have survived it. Most people who are physically active during cancer treatment experience fewer serious side effects, feel better quickly after treatment, and in some cases have a lower risk of cancer recurrence. research has shown.

EIM also Rx for Health Seriesprovides exercise prescriptions for people with a variety of common chronic conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, depression and anxiety, osteoarthritis, and heart failure.

“If you have a heart attack and you spend most of your time there, you are at a much higher risk of having another heart attack. on the sofa It’s not like going for a walk,” Joy said. “The couch is more dangerous than walking shoes.”

While EIM continues to educate health care providers and students in the medical field about the importance of assessing patient activity levels and prescribing physical activity, we are also considering other options.

“People don't respond well to being told to do something,” Joy says. “Rather, people are more likely to engage in and maintain healthy behavioral changes if they take place within their communities. Families, neighborhoods, faith-based communities, and even work environments are If you support physical activity, that person is more likely to be active.”

That's true, says Jalen Lyles, a certified personal trainer and owner of Jalen Lyles Vision Fitness in New York. Various companies in New York City bring in Lyles to teach fitness classes for their employees, and he sees the benefits.

“It's always good to get people together for a workout,” he says. “It can encourage people to take charge of their own fitness. Businesses invest in fitness, schools create programs and events for students and parents, and media and movies promote physical activity. It would be great if you could.”

“Healthy behavior is contagious,” Joy says. “We also have a personal responsibility when it comes to physical activity, and that means thinking seriously about how we impact those around us.”

So next time you go for a walk, Joy said, invite a friend or neighbor.

Melanie Rajicki McManus I'm a freelance writer specializing in hiking, travel, and fitness.