A regular physical activity helps prevent many chronic diseases (cardio and cerebrovascular diseases, Type 2 diabetesobesity, depression, cancer…). It is also, in these diseases, a therapy in its own right, alone or in combination with drug treatment. The High Authority for Health (HAS) has therefore just published the Guide to promotion, consultation and medical prescription of physical and sports activity for health in adults. A guide as rich as its title suggests, which will allow doctors (general practitioners or specialists) to conduct their dedicated consultations to physical activity and to support their patients towards a more active lifestyle.
In this guide, an initial list of 6 “references” presents specific data on the benefits and risks of physical activity for patients suffering from:
- overweight and obesity
- Type 2 diabetes
- high blood pressure
- stable coronary disease
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- or having had a stroke.
What is physical activity?
Physical activity includes physical activities of daily living with:
Active moves : walking, stairs, cycling
Domestic activities : household maintenance, DIY, gardening
Professional activities or school
As well as physical exercises and leisure sports activities or in competition.
Conversely, the sedentary activities include all activities performed at rest in a sitting or lying position (watching television, reading, writing, work on a computermoving around in a motor vehicle) and the static standing position.
Read also :
Not motivated for sport? Maybe it’s your brain’s fault
8 hours of sedentary time offset by 1 hour of physical activity
