Integrating Physical Activity into Everyday Clinical Practice
Public Health England (PHE) is supporting the clinical practice of all healthcare professionals through the launch of a new Physical Activity Infographic. Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies presented the infographic during her talk ‘moving health professionals’ at the PHE conference Everybody Active Everyday: One Year On, 19 October 2015.
Based on UK Chief Medical Officer (CMO) guidelines, the one page document is designed to encourage health professionals to speak to patients about why it’s important to be active. It highlights some of the benefits of physical activity, which can cut the chance of developing Type 2 Diabetes by 40 per cent, cardiovascular disease by 35 per cent, and breast and colon cancers by 20 per cent. Professor Mark Batt was part of a team who developed the infographic, now launched by all four home nation’s CMOs.
Professor Mark Batt, Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine at The Centre for Sports Medicine, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Past President of the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine comments:“We wanted to produce something easy and practical for health professionals to engage patients in making small changes to their physical activity levels.
“The message is clear, something is better than nothing, start small and build up an increase in everyday physical activity gradually. Walking, swimming, gardening, even standing more and carrying bags can all contribute towards meeting the physical activity guidelines.”
Professor Kevin Fenton, National Director of Health and Wellbeing, Public Health England said:“The new infographic, alongside the other resources published, will generate a step change in the way the healthcare professionals think about physical activity and how they can integrate it into every day clinical care.
“The evidence base for the impact of physical activity is robust and continuing to grow. We’d like to see all healthcare professionals promote the core messages that some activity is better than nothing, and it’s never too late to start being active every day. For patients it’s about doing activities that are easy, cheap and simple.
“Being active is fun, it’s a great way to spend time with friends and family, and often the most efficient and cheapest way to run those errands and every day trips. Whether walking, dancing, jogging, cycling with the kids or playing sport, it all adds up and every little bit helps.”
The infographic can be downloaded using the following link.
http://www.fsem.ac.uk/media/71425/physical-activity-infographic-colour_aw_hr.pdf
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