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Denton
to proclaim May as Exercise is Medicine™ month
4/15/08
DENTON—
Denton Mayor Perry McNeill will issue a proclamation at the
City Council Meeting tonight naming May 2008 as Exercise is
Medicine™ month. The proclamation is one of the first
issued in the nation and is part of the month’s activities
coordinated by Texas Woman’s University.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American
Medical Association (AMA) have launched the Exercise is Medicine™
month initiative to encourage Americans to incorporate physical
activity and exercise into their daily routine. Exercise is
Medicine™ month calls on doctors to prescribe exercise
to their patients.
“Physical inactivity and obesity are two major public
health problems, not only in our state and our country, but
also across the globe,” Mayor McNeill said. “I
want the citizens of Denton to understand that physical activity
will improve health and wellness. It isn’t just about
losing weight. Just a modest amount of activity can impact
cardiovascular health and enhance strength and flexibility.”
According to Nancy DiMarco, TWU professor of nutrition and
food science and director of the TWU Exercise and Sports Nutrition
clinic, the university plans to share information about the
Exercise is Medicine™ initiative with the clinic’s
clients.
“We will encourage them to visit the web site for more
information and to talk to their physician about exercise
and physical activity,” Dr. DiMarco said. “We
also will provide 10 free exercise consultations to patients
of local physicians and report their progress back to the
referring physician.”
TWU also plans to give a presentation on the value of exercise
in the prevention and treatment of disease to the Denton community
on May 13.
The website www.exerciseismedicine.org contains educational
materials and toolkits for physicians to use in their practices.
The site also includes information for patients, the media,
and policymakers, as well as a listing of initial supporting
organizations. Educational models will be developed for use
in medical schools so students can learn the importance of
prescribing exercise to patients early in their careers.
A recent survey conducted of the public by ACSM found that
nearly two-thirds of patients would be more interested in
exercising to stay healthy if advised by their doctor and
given additional resources. Physical inactivity is a fast-growing
public health problem in this country and contributes to a
variety of chronic diseases and health complications, including
obesity, coronary artery disease, diabetes, high blood pressure,
cancer, depression and anxiety, arthritis and osteoporosis.
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Media Contact:
Amanda Simpson
Director of News and Information
Tel: (940) 898-3456
e-mail: asimpson1@twu.edu |
