Exercise Is Medicine: How Do We Implement It?

Nutrients. 2023 Jul 17;15(14):3164. doi: 10.3390/nu15143164.

Abstract

Exercise is well known to have beneficial effects on various disease states. In this paper, we broadly describe the fundamental concepts that are shared among various disease states, including obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular disease (CVD), heart failure (HF), cancer, and psychological well-being, and the beneficial effects of exercise training within these concepts. We highlight issues involved in implementing exercise recommendations and describe the potential impacts and challenges to medical professionals and patients. Problems are identified and discussed with respect to the future roles of professionals in the current built environment with its limited infrastructure to support current physical activity recommendations.

Keywords: US physical activity guidelines; cancer; cardiovascular disease; clinical practice; depression; exercise; heart failure; obesity; physical activity; type 2 diabetes.

MeSH terms

  • Cardiovascular Diseases* / prevention & control
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / prevention & control
  • Exercise
  • Heart Failure* / therapy
  • Humans
  • Obesity / prevention & control

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.