Exercise Prescriptions for National Fitness Day

Posted on 07 Sep 2016 by Anna Scott
It seems rather apt that an important news item on National Fitness Day should be a call for doctors to give obese patients more ‘exercise prescriptions’ to help with weight loss, so we thought we’d take a closer look at the issue, as well as few ways in which you can include some light exercise and activity in your daily routine yourself.

 

Successful Pilot Schemes


GardeningYou certainly don’t expect your local doctor to write out a prescription for exercise (although it’s possibly something they might recommend in passing), but a small number of GPs have already been doing this with notable success. In Dorset, doctors have been giving prescriptions for regular walks, conservation work to help stay active, gardening sessions and even sailing. And the East Riding of Yorkshire Council has developed an IT system that links up GPs with local leisure centres so they can effectively organise exercise plans for patients.

The Local Government Association has recently taken on responsibility for public health under a NHS England and Wales re-organisation and their spokesperson has said, “There are some instances where rather than prescribing a pill, advising on some type of moderate physical activity outdoors could be far more beneficial to the patient. There are already some good examples where this is being piloted in the UK and it is something we should consider on a nationwide basis.”

 

Potential Drawbacks


Although promising, some experts have drawn attention to the potential problems associated with the future success of any scheme that might be rolled out on a larger scale. The Royal College of General Practitioners has said investment in a wider policy for social prescribing schemes must not act as an alternative to further investment in GP services, and their spokesperson Dr Steven Mowle stated, “Social prescribing schemes can certainly be beneficial to a patient’s overall health and well-being – as some pilots have shown – but to be effective, there needs to be better integration between health and community services, so that GPs and our teams can signpost our patients most appropriately.”

 

Exercise Recommendations


Family walkingSo how much exercise should you be getting exactly? The recommended amount of moderate physical activity stands at 150 hours a week, but 1 in 4 women and 1 in 5 men do less than 30 hours a week, leaving them at a greater risk of heart disease, some forms of cancer and depression.

One of the easiest ways to include more moderate exercise into your daily routine is by walking, and it could be just as simple as getting of the bus a couple of stops earlier than you usually would, or using the stairs instead of taking the lift – every little helps, after all. Try to start up a regular walking activity as a family – perhaps a nature walk at some point over the weekend? And with the seasons currently on the turn and autumn on its way, this is the perfect time to observe the many changes taking place, making it educational and fun as well as active. If you want to take walking a bit more seriously and need to invest in some new walking shoes or boots, Tog 24 promotional codes and Sweatband discount codes can save you money on top quality footwear and fitness wear.

And with this news item mentioning the health benefits of gardening to combat obesity and depression, perhaps now is the time to tackle your own outdoor space if it’s been on the to-do list for a while now, and you can use Greenfingers promo codes to save on any additional accessories you might need.

If you do have concerns about any weight-related issues, the it’s advisable you visit your GP in the first instance, but whatever the results of these exercise prescription recommendations, there are still plenty of ways you can include moderate exercise and activity into your weekly and daily routines yourself.

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