Advocates of "exercise prescriptions" received a huge boost with the unveiling of "Exercise is Medicine"

Advocates of "exercise prescriptions" received a huge boost with the
unveiling of "Exercise is Medicine," a joint initiative of the American
Medical Association (AMA) and the American College of Sports Medicine
(ACSM).


Exercise is Medicine has several goals that recognize the importance of
physical activity:


1. Create broad awareness that exercise is indeed medicine.


2. Make "level of physical activity" a standard vital sign question in
each patient visit.


3. Help physicians and other healthcare providers to become consistently
effective in counsel–ing and referring patients as to their physical
activity needs.


4. Lead to policy changes in public and private sectors that support
physical activity counseling and referrals in clinical settings.


5. Produce an expectation among the public and patients that their
healthcare providers should and will ask about and prescribe exercise.


6. Appropriately encourage physicians and other healthcare providers to
be physically active themselves.


At a news conference held at the National Press Club, Robert E. Sallis,
M.D., ACSM President, expressed his hope that Exercise is Medicine will
"merge the fitness industry with the health-care industry."


"We already advise against smoking; recommending exercise should be no
different," added Dr. Sallis. "Physicians can support the program by
prescribing exercise and offering patients basic educational materials.
Exercise can have tremendous health benefits for patients."


"If we had a pill that contained all of the benefits of exercise, it would
be the most widely prescribed drug in the world," noted Ronald M. Davis,
M.D., AMA President.


Other speakers at the news conference included Melissa Johnson, Executive
Director, President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports, and Jake
Steinfeld, Chairman of the California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness
and Sports. A luncheon following the press conference was highlighted by
encouraging and supportive comments from Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson,
M.D., M.P.H., Acting Surgeon General.


IHRSA is very proud to be an official supporter of Exercise is Medicine. We
look forward to providing you with updates on the progress of Exercise is
Medicine throughout the year. In the meantime, if you have any questions
about the initiative, please do not hesitate to contact IHRSA or visit the
website: exerciseismedicine.org.