Iowa State University is joining the campaign to educate the public about Exercise as a vital sign.
Physical inactivity is a fast-growing public health problem and contributes to a variety of chronic diseases and health complications, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, depression and anxiety, arthritis, and osteoporosis. In addition to improving a patient’s overall health, increasing physical activity has proven effective in the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases.
The guiding principles of Exercise is Medicine, shared by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and other leading health and fitness organizations, are designed to improve the health and well-being of our nation through a regular physical activity prescription from doctors and other health care providers, or from a health and fitness professional working with the health care provider. The guiding principles are as follows:
- Exercise and physical activity are important to health and the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases.
- More should be done to address physical activity and exercise in health care settings.
- Encouragement of ACSM’s effort to bring a greater focus on physical activity and exercise in health care settings.
The Nutrition and Wellness Research Center, the Department of Kinesiology and the Alliance of Health and Fitness Professionals joined to create the ExerCYse is Medicine group to encourage Ames community to ‘Do it Daily’