New Year's Fitness Resolutions Good For Body, Wallet And Job

Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Article Date: 09 Jan 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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Research from the American College of Sports Medicine shows making a fitness-related New Year's resolution will benefit your pocketbook and employer in addition to your body.

According to a presentation on ACSM's "Exercise is Medicine™" program by Robert Sallis, M.D., FACSM, ACSM immediate past president, health care for inactive persons costs $1,543 per year more than active ones. Exercise is Medicine™, an initiative calling for physical activity and exercise to be a standard part of disease prevention and treatment, emphasizes that physical activity prevents and treats chronic diseases. Lower rates of obesity, coronary artery disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, depression, anxiety, arthritis and osteoporosis are among the benefits of exercise, in addition to a lower rate of mortality.

An article published in ACSM'sHealth & Fitness Journal reported the United States spends more than 95 percent of its health care budget on curative tactics and less than five percent on preventive strategies. Diabetic persons spend an average of $11,000 more than persons without diabetes. Preventative programs with a fitness protocol could save the U.S. $20 million on diabetic patients alone.

Making a resolution to exercise is also good news for employers. The results of a study published in ACSM's official scientific journal, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise®, shows workers' show quality of work, mental performance and time management were better on days when employees exercised. This leads to fewer sick days, better attendance and more tolerant co-worker relations, concluding with higher return-on-investments for the employer.

The recently released physical activity guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provide a baseline for those looking to start an exercise routine. Significant health benefits occur with at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking. ACSM's physical activity guidelines recommend breaking down the workload into 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise, five days a week. For more information on customizing an exercise plan, visit http://www.acsm.org/physicalactivity.

The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 35,000 international, national, and regional members and certified professionals are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine.

American College of Sports Medicine