Exercise Medicine Research Studies Vital For Future Healthcare

RE: BMJ Research Paper – Comparative effectiveness of exercise and drug interventions on mortality outcomes: metaepidemiological study.

The Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine welcomes the research by the London School of Economics, Harvard Medical School and Stanford University School of Medicine on the comparative effectiveness of exercise and drug interventions on mortality outcomes.

There is plenty of evidence to suggest how effective exercise is in reducing the risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, depression, osteoporosis and others. This study gives more information about exercise being effective as a treatment to disease and further evidence to support the fact that exercise prescription is necessary in the prevention and management of chronic diseases.

The dose of exercise required to effectively treat a disease very much depends on the type of patient and a qualified sport and exercise doctor or a GP with a special interest in exercise medicine can prescribe exercise for an individual.

The main conclusion from this study is very relevant when it comes to planning healthcare services; the fact that exercise can be as equally as effective as drugs when it comes to the treatment and secondary prevention of common diseases.

Research studies like this are vital in shaping the future direction of NHS services in the UK because, at present, there isn’t enough Exercise Medicine services available to the general public.

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For further information contact Beth Cameron, PR & Communications for the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine;

Email: pr@fsem.ac.uk, Tel: 0131 527 3498, Mobile: 07551903702

Web: www.fsem.co.uk