The Chief Medical Officer of the Commonwealth Games says doctors should more regularly prescribe exercise to their patients.

Dr Anita Green, a GP, lecturer and Chief Medical Officer of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, says there is “considerable evidence for the benefits of physical activity for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, musculoskeletal conditions, some cancers, mental health and dementia”.

“Yet there remains a large evidence–practice gap between physicians’ knowledge of the contribution of physical inactivity to chronic disease and routine effective assessment and prescription of physical activity,” she said in an article for the Medical Journal of Australia.

A doctor’s own attitude to physical activity and exercise appears to be a major predictor of their willingness to prescribe it for their patients, Dr Green and colleagues wrote.

“It has been consistently shown that physically active clinicians are more likely to provide physical activity counselling to their patients … Similarly, medical students who regularly engage in vigorous exercise have a more positive attitude to counselling future patients about exercise,” they wrote.

“Conversely, medical students who do not meet the minimum physical activity guidelines tend to place a lower value on physical activity and exercise prescription to patients. Worryingly, physical activity levels tend to decrease during medical training and through residency.”

The authors say the biggest barriers to prescribing physical activity include “a lack of undergraduate training at medical schools”.

They referenced a UK study in which “nearly half the students did not feel confident about providing physical activity advice to patients”.

“Medical schools, health care facilities and professional bodies should provide opportunities and supported programs to increase and maintain the physical activity of clinicians and medical students.”

“The lack of undergraduate and postgraduate training in physical activity and exercise prescription must be addressed in order to increase the knowledge, confidence and skills of physicians in prescribing exercise as medicine to their patients,” the authors concluded.