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Exercise: The Miracle Cure-All?

We know there are many benefits to regular exercise. After sifting through study after study, professors at the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges in the United Kingdom have labeled exercise a miracle cure.

The organization, which “speaks on standards of care and medical education across the UK,” recently released a report titled Exercise: The Miracle Cure and the Role of the Doctor in Promoting It. The goal of the report, according to professor Dame Sue Bailey, who chairs the academy, is to provide doctors with tools that will help them promote exercise to patients. One of the benchmarks of the report explains just how valuable physical activity is as a preventive measure against a wide range of diseases and ailments.

Because we can always use more ammunition to motivate clients, here is a breakdown of some of the benefits of exercise, according to the report:

  • 31% reduction in cardiac mortality
  • 90% improvement in self-esteem and well-being (from outdoor activity)
  • 25%–53% reduction in pain symptoms among osteoarthritis patients
  • 57% lower rate of prostate cancer progression
  • at least 10 mm Hg drop in blood pressure among 31% of patients
  • 50%–80% reduction in risk of developing type 2 diabetes
  • 30%–50% reduction in risk of falls among older adults
  • 30% lower all-cause mortality rate
  • 45% reduction in risk of bowel cancer

While the report’s primary goal is to prepare doctors to promote activity among patients, the authors also put out a call-to-action to the fitness industry: “In a wider context, sports and recreational facilities need to actively seek a diversity of clientele, and infrastructure is needed to support more active travel and outdoor spaces.”

Gain access to the full report at www.aomrc.org.uk/publications/reports-a-guidance?view=docman.

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