What Every Provider Needs to Know about the Physical Activity Guidelines

Presentation Summary: By nearly every measure, physical activity contributes to a longer and healthier life. Strong evidence suggests that physical activity reduces risk and improves management of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. Physical activity also alleviates the symptoms of depression and anxiety, and pain from osteoarthritis. Furthermore, physical activity also supports the maintenance of functional abilities, reduces the risk of falls, and enhances overall quality of life. Unfortunately, only about a quarter of all adults and less than one in five adolescents meet the recommendations for physical activity, making this a major public health concern. As part of the lifestyle medicine approach, promoting physical activity among patients is one of the most impactful strategies providers can use to reduce the risk and burden of chronic disease while improving overall health and well-being. Receiving guidance from a provider to be active can be a powerful motivator, especially among those with medical concerns. As such, providers rely on the Physical Activity Guidelines to recommend the dose and types of physical activity needed for a patient to obtain optimal health outcomes.

A key feature of this session will be an interactive discussion guided by a practicing physician and medical school professor from Loma Linda University, through which participants can share their experiences, strategies, and challenges related to promoting physical activity. Participants will also brainstorm additional resources or tools that could be helpful in promoting physical activity through healthcare settings. The session will incorporate small group discussion and web-based response technology to capture ideas from the group. This approach will assist participants in learning from their peers and foster collaboration among healthcare professionals committed to improving patient health through physical activity.