A new University of Iowa study reveals a strong connection between physical activity and lower risks of chronic diseases. Experts recommend incorporating exercise surveys into routine health care to identify at-risk patients and promote healthier lifestyles.
A significant new study from the University of Iowa highlights the crucial link between physical activity and the risk of chronic diseases, urging health care systems to routinely survey patients about their exercise habits.
Led by Lucas Carr, an associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Physiology, the research scrutinized responses from over 7,000 patients at the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center. These patients completed a questionnaire reporting their frequency and intensity of physical activity.
The findings are striking. Participants engaged in moderate to vigorous exercise for at least 150 minutes per week showed a statistically significant reduced risk for 19 chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease and diabetes. Conversely, patients reporting minimal or no physical activity faced a higher likelihood of developing these chronic issues.
Carr underscores the importance of addressing the gap in the current health care framework.
“In our health care environment, there’s no easy pathway for a doctor to be reimbursed for helping patients become more physically active. And so, for these patients, many of whom report insufficient activity, we need options to easily connect them with supportive services like exercise prescriptions and/or community health specialists,” Carr, the corresponding author, said in a news release.
This study, published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease, is pioneering in its approach within the Midwest, where no hospital system has previously surveyed patients about their physical activity levels.
The survey, termed the Exercise Vital Sign, was incorporated into patients’ annual wellness visits between November 2017 and December 2022. The two-question survey, which takes less than 30 seconds to complete, asked:
1. “On average, how many days per week do you engage in moderate to vigorous exercise (like a brisk walk)?”
2. “On average, how many minutes do you engage in exercise at this level?”
Carr advocates for widespread implementation of such surveys, emphasizing their efficiency and value.
“This two-question survey typically takes fewer than 30 seconds for a patient to complete, so it doesn’t interfere with their visit. But it can tell us a whole lot about that patient’s overall health,” he added.
Moreover, a comparison with over 33,000 patients who did not take the survey indicates that those who did were generally younger and healthier, which Carr attributes to their engagement in annual wellness exams and healthier behaviors.
The study’s implications extend beyond revealing health trends; it also showcases the practicality of integrating exercise discussions into health care.
An associated study by Carr’s team found that when health care providers billed for exercise counseling, insurance providers reimbursed 95% of these claims, reinforcing the feasibility of making physical activity surveys and counseling services a norm in medical practice.
“We believe this finding is a result of those patients who take the time to come in for annual wellness exams also are taking more time to engage in healthy behaviors, such as being physically active,” Carr added.
For the health care community, the strong correlation between physical activity and reduced chronic disease risk reflected in this study could be a pivotal step in shifting toward preventative care practices that prioritize and routinely track patients’ physical activity levels.