» Canadian Forum
FITNESS E
HEALTH AND
BY DON LONGWELL
xercise and healthy eating are good for us. The long term benefits include qual- ity of life, longer life and dis- ease prevention. The short
term benefits include enhanced daily performance of work and play, looking good and feeling good.
Exercise is Medicine Do health care professionals have
much in common with fitness profes- sionals? Robert Sallis M.D., FACSM, certainly thinks so. Sallis is imme- diate past-president of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and chair of its Exercise is Medicine (EIM) program. “The EIM initiative address- es physical inactivity head-on,” says Sallis. The program was launched by ACSM, with the goal of encouraging physicians to record physical activity as a vital sign during patient visits and to conclude each visit with an exercise prescription or referral to a qualified fitness professional or allied health care provider. “Physical inactivity is the most
emergent public health problem of our time, apparent through the preva- lence of chronic diseases and obesity,” said Sallis, emphasizing the powerful effects of physical activity on disease treatment and disease prevention. “If we had a pill that provided all
the benefits of exercise, we would rec- ommend it to every patient. Physicians must be encouraging patients to take a step toward a healthy lifestyle.” “Our action plan addresses how to
refine the trusted relationship between physician and patient so that improved health through exercise has the same stature as any other pharmacologic in- tervention,” says Sallis.
44 Fitness Business Canada March/April 2011
“Do health care professionals have much in common with fitness professionals?”
In Canada You Say? Exercise is Medicine is a global
initiative the ACSM which is now involved with partnering organizations in regional centres throughout the world. On its website (
www.exerciseismedicine.org), you will find sections directed to health and fitness professionals.
This includes a Health and Fitness Professional’s Action Guide: www.
exerciseismedicine.org/documents/ HealthFitnessActionGuideLQ.pdf. The guide provides fitness profes-
sionals with a systematic approach to obtaining medical referrals from physi- cians and other health care providers; Continued on page 46
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