The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Medical Fitness Association (MFA), and American Council on Exercise (ACE) on February 23 announced a major new effort called the Exercise is Medicine (EIM) Solution at National Press Club in Washington, DC. The effort is part of the ongoing EIM global initiative the ACSM launched in 2008.
With the MFA and the ACE joining the ACSM, the new program represents nearly half of the fitness professional industry in the US.
“Much of the illness and early death related to [many] chronic diseases can be prevented by increased physical activity. The EIM Solution is an innovative approach that, through a prescription, links the medical profession with physical activity professionals and community resources,” said US Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, MD, who delivered a keynote speech during the announcement.
The EIM Solution will include physical activity counseling, as well as prescription and referral strategies, particularly the involvement of health and fitness professionals, an often-missing component of physician-prescribed treatment plans, according to the ACSM.
Go to exerciseismedicine.org for more information.
