GPs ‘should prescribe exercise to fat patients to stem obesity epidemic’
Family doctors could suggest outdoor walks, activities in parks or exercise classes, in a bid to help their patients lose weight, said the LGA
GPs should start prescribing exercise to help tackle the nation's obesity crisis, council leaders have said.
The Local Government Association (LGA) said family doctors across England and Wales should note down physical activity goals for their patients to encourage them to be more active.
These could be outdoor walks, activities in parks, or family exercise classes.
There are some local initiatives where GPs are encouraging their patients to do more exercise, but the LGA said it would like the schemes to be rolled out across the country.
It mimics a scheme in New Zealand, which has been running since 1998, where eight out of every 10 GPs have issued green prescriptions to patients.
These are forwarded to a patient support person who encourages the patient to be more active through phone calls, face-to-face meetings or a support group.