Although regular physical activity is known to help guard against obesity, diabetes and various other medical conditions, many physicians still fail to promote its benefits among their patients.
In interviews with more than 1,800 adults, researchers found that only 28% of them reported being advised by their doctor to increase their level of physical activity.
Such reports were most common among women, older individuals, lower-income patients, nonwhites, those with a regular physician, those who reported visiting their doctor four or more times per year and those with a greater number of chronic illnesses.
While it appeared that doctors were more likely to advise people to be more active if their conditions indicated a need for exercise or a possible benefit from it, the researchers add, this pattern of advice overlooks the preventive role of physical activity.
Further, only 4 in 10 patients who were advised to exercise more said that they received help in developing an exercise plan, follow-up support or counseling. These individuals were about 80% more likely to meet physical activity recommendations -- a half-hour of moderate-intensity activity for 5 or more days per week -- than were those who did not receive follow-up care.
In light of this finding, if consumers would like to receive such exercise assistance, they are probably going to have to be proactive and ask for it. Overall, these findings indicate substantial lack of attention to physical activity in spite of growing evidence for its importance.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine October 2001;21
A sad commentary on the status of traditional medicine and is one of the reasons that they are the major cause of death in the US. Not advising and encouraging individuals to a healthier lifestyle is inexcusable. Exercise is such a simple, inexpensive and effective tool that is not properly utilized.
Exercise is useful for just about any clinical problem, including but not limited to:
Patients need to be encouraged to make a commitment and return for follow-up to review their compliance to it.
I have developed a one-page exercise commitment form that I provide for patients who need help in this area (see below).
Aerobic Exercise Calendar for _______________________ Date ______________
I will do this program for the following benefits (please circle whatever is appropriate):
I will schedule my exercise (circle one): before work, lunchtime, after work
Week 1
Activity
Time/Distance
Route/Program
Heart Rate
Comments
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Use the form above, which I give to my new patients, to help you commit to a regular program. If you are having problems exercising that are not physically related, refer to the free EFT manual on Mercola.com to find out how to use this simple but effective tool to help you re-focus. The section on goals and affirmations is especially useful in helping you stick with your exercise program.
Exercise Progression:
Start with as many days per week as you can and build up by an extra day each week until 6 days a week.
Duration:
Start with as many minutes as you can exercise and add a minute each workout until at 45-60 minutes.
You can measure your heart rate by counting the number of beats on the pulse point in your wrist or neck for ten seconds, then multiply by 6. Your training heart rate is as fast as you can exercise and still talk comfortably to a person standing next to you.