For immediate
release
November 5, 2007
ACSM AND AMA
LAUNCH “EXERCISE IS MEDICINE” PROGRAM
Calls for
Physicians to Prescribe Exercise to Patients
WASHINGTON, D.C.
– The American College of Sports
Medicine (ACSM) and the American Medical Association (AMA) today
launched Exercise
is Medicine™, a new program designed to
encourage America’s patients to incorporate physical activity and
exercise into their daily routine. Exercise is Medicine™ calls on doctors to prescribe exercise to their
patients.
A recent survey conducted of the
public by ACSM found that nearly two-thirds of patients (65%) would be more
interested in exercising to stay healthy if advised by their doctor and
given additional resources. Four out of 10 physicians (41%) talk to
their patients about the importance of exercise, but don’t always
offer suggestions on the best ways to be physically active. Patients
(25%) look to their doctor first for advice on exercise and physical
activity. They turn next to fitness and health Web sites
(24%).
The goal of the
Exercise is Medicine™ program is to encourage
physicians to record physical activity as a vital sign during patient
visits. Able patients will be advised to participate in at least 30
minutes of physical activity and 10 minutes of stretching and light
muscle training five days a week.
A new Web site—www.exerciseismedicine.org—contains
educational materials and toolkits for physicians to use in their
practices. The site also includes information for patients, the media,
and policymakers, as well as a listing of initial supporting
organizations. Educational models will be developed for use in medical
schools so students can learn the importance of prescribing exercise to
patients early in their careers.
Physical inactivity is a
fast-growing public health problem in this country and contributes to a
variety of chronic diseases and health complications, including obesity,
coronary artery disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer,
depression and anxiety, arthritis and osteoporosis. In addition to
improving a patient’s overall health, increasing physical activity
has proven effective in the treatment and prevention of chronic
disease.
“We already advise
against smoking; recommending exercise should be no different,”
said Robert E. Sallis, M.D., ACSM president. “Physicians can
support the program by prescribing exercise and offering patients basic
educational materials. Exercise can have tremendous health
benefits for patients.”
“More than half of
Americans don’t get nearly enough exercise and would be astounded
to see how much difference a brisk 30-minute walk a few times a
week makes in their overall health,” said Ronald M. Davis, M.D.,
AMA president. “We encourage physicians to talk to their patients
about the importance of exercise and to work with them to establish
programs they can start today and continue throughout their
lives.”
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About the American College of
Sports Medicine
The American College of Sports
Medicine is
the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the
world. More than 20,000 international, national, and regional
members are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research
to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science
and sports medicine.
About the American Medical
Association
The American Medical Association
(AMA) helps doctors help patients by uniting physicians nationwide to
work on the most important professional, public health and advocacy
issues in medicine. Working together, the AMA's quarter of a million
physician and medical student members are playing an active role in
shaping the future of medicine. For more information on the AMA, please
visit www.ama-assn.org.
About the survey
results:
ACSM’s Exercise is
Medicine™ survey was conducted by
Kelton Research between October 29th and November 1st, 2007 using an
email invitation and an online survey. The individuals sampled for
the survey were randomly selected from those individuals who provided
their email addresses and opted-in to participate in surveys conducted
by Kelton Research. Quotas were set to ensure reliable and accurate
representation of the total U.S. population age 18 and above.
Results of any sample are subject to
sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is
affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages
expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in
100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1
percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews
had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the
sample.
For more information,
please contact:
Christa Dickey
AmericanCollegeof
Sports Medicine
(317)
352-3827
cdickey@acsm.org
