Doctors who are studying Sport & Exercise Medicine are prescribing more exercise to their patients, a survey carried out at the University of Bath suggests.
Over 60 per cent of GPs surveyed said they had increased the level of exercise they prescribed in the last year as an alternative to pharmaceutical treatment, and almost 65 per cent said they had prescribed exercise alongside pharmaceuticals.
Exercise can help prevent and treat illness such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, depression and some forms of cancer.
The GPs, who are studying for postgraduate qualifications in Sport & Exercise Medicine at the University of Bath’s School for Health, also said that in order to motivate patients to change their exercise behaviour they needed more time for individual consultations and more information about specific local services on offer.
Whilst only 20 per cent of GPs had noticed an increase in the number of people coming to their surgery for advice on exercise in the past year, once they met with their patients they took the initiative to discuss lifestyle changes. Nearly 80 per cent of them had referred patients to local Exercise Referral Schemes.
Dr Afroditi Stathi, an expert in the psychology of physical activity at the University’s School for Health, said: “It’s encouraging that doctors are taking the initiative to talk to their patients about exercise and lifestyle as part of their routine appointments which can motivate them to alter their behaviour. Effective patient counselling on lifestyle changes could contribute to overall improvement in the public’s health and long-term reduction in healthcare costs”.
Dr James Bilzon, Director of Studies for the MSc Sport & Exercise Medicine, added: “Whilst this was a relatively small survey of our GP students, the observed trends are very encouraging. Exercise for Health is such an important area of primary care and one in which GPs must remain up to date with contemporary research evidence if they are to make a difference. It is clear that motivating individuals to change their health behaviours is a complex area, requiring more than patient education. By updating their knowledge and by improving their consultation techniques, doctors can get the most out of their limited time spent with patients and make a real difference in the wellbeing of their community.”
Doctors can study a three month Exercise for Health CPD unit by distance learning, which is also available as part of the University of Bath’s PG Dip/Masters in Sport & Exercise Medicine. Four hundred doctors globally are currently studying the course, around half of them GPs.