Scientists urge that the patient physical should now include this advice: 'Get off the sofa and g...( expressing enough of the important pro...)

The Front Line Defense: Primary Care Physicians The opportunity for the family physician to intervene already exists. Each year, the nations 100,000 primary care doctors see millions of Americans seeking treatment for a wide range of medical disorders. The range of motivations for seeing the doctor range from general physicals and check-ups to specific types of complains, many of which do not require specialty treatment.

Despite the evidence of the problems associated with sedentary lifestyles, less than half of patients now receive advice from their primary care provider to get moving and increase their level of physical activity.

If the sedentary individual engaged in three hours of moderate physical activity (such as walking) a week he or she would have a 30 percent reduction in the risk for four of the nation's leading killers: coronary artery disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and colon cancer. If not addressed, these risk factors can become overt later in life, leading to disease. Thus, prevention strategies are essential for diminishing morbidity and mortality rates associated with chronic disease. (Note: The researchers summary of common chronic health conditions where physical activity has a direct role in positive outcomes is attached as Table 1.)

Rx
The prescription to a healthier lifestyle is doable and practical. Recommended activities that all patients should receive include prescriptions calling for:

Walking and bicycling 15 minutes twice a day, in lieu of driving that short distance.

Parking on the far side of the shopping mall instead of circling the lot, looking for a space nearest the entrance.

Climbing stairs, doing yard work, or playing with grandchildren.

Always turning off the television.

The authors contend that the medical community shoul
'"/>

Contact: Donna Krupa
djkrupa1@aol.com
703-527-7357
American Physiological Society
13-Feb-2002