Study advocates for routine physical inactivity screening

Latest research published in Preventing Chronic Disease highlights the need for primary care physicians to incorporate physical inactivity screening into routine assessments.

By using a simple questionnaire during wellness visits, physicians can identify those at risk for chronic diseases due to inactivity.

Despite its importance, physical activity is rarely assessed in healthcare settings, partly due to a lack of financial incentives for prevention.

The authors said: “The research underscores the importance of having clinicians inquire about patients’ exercise levels to help them become healthier.”

Lead researcher Professor Lucas Carr said: “The major reason physical inactivity is not measured or managed in primary care in the US is there simply is not a lot of money in prevention.

“There are very few billing codes available for prescribing exercise to patients who need it. In advocating for healthcare reforms that would allow providers to prioritise prevention efforts that could keep patients healthy and out of hospitals.”

People doing 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each week were significantly less at risk of developing 19 chronic health conditions, including cancer, type 2 diabetes, respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease, the study has reported.

Professor Carr noted: “Physical activity is not commonly assessed in healthcare settings, even though strong evidence proves that remaining inactive is one of the most common causes of death, while being active provides wide-ranging health benefits.”

More than 7,000 adults from the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center took part in the study. Each participant filled in surveys to outline how often they exercised.

Professor Carr stated: “The take-home message here is that physical activity is one of the most important preventive actions an individual can take to protect themselves against a multitude of diseases. It's free, it works, and it can be fun.

“Healthcare organisations should treat physical activity like a vital sign – similar to blood pressure – by asking all patients about their physical activity during all visits.”

He added: “People who are inactive should be connected to supportive resources that could help them develop an active lifestyle that works for them.”

Joint author Dr Gregory Katz said: “This fits with the overall body of evidence that has been established across many different patient populations over many different health outcomes.

“People who are more active are healthier – they are less likely to have heart attacks and strokes, less likely to develop chronic disease and less likely to die. But the study doesn't prove that physical activity is what causes these better health outcomes.”

He concluded: “For all we know, this is just telling us that people who are healthier feel better, so they can move more, and it's the better health that causes more physical activity rather than the other way around.”

Read the full study here – https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2025/24_0149.htm.