Why 'fitness is something we should be measuring' at the doctor's office

[Tennis]

Doctors should assess and estimate the cardiorespiratory fitness of adults during routine visits just as they measure blood pressure, according to the Canadian author who chaired a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association.

Cardiorespiratory fitness refers to the ability to do aerobic activities. A growing body of medical research shows it's potentially a stronger predictor of death risk than more established risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol and hypertension.

That's why the American Heart Association turned to Queen's University kinesiology Prof. Robert Ross and his team of international experts to review the evidence.

Their conclusions are published in the group's journal, Circulation, titled "Importance of assessing cardiorespiratory fitness in clinical practice: a case for fitness as a clinical vital sign."

Ross said adding cardiorespiratory fitness as a vital sign accomplishes two objectives:

It offers a simple way to improve a doctor's ability to assess a patient's risk of developing cardiovascular illness or death in the next 10 years.
It provides a practical way to counsel patients and evaluate how well the "treatment", prescribed exercise, is working.

"Fitness is something we should be measuring. It's telling us something that no other measure that we have in clinical measure can give us, " Ross said in an interview. "So why not take advantage of this?"
Brisk walk prescribed

About 80 to 85 per cent of Canadians don't meet physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes a week of moderate level intensity, and many are sedentary.

According to Ross, the good news is that small improvements in physical activity offer major payoffs in reducing cardiovascular disease risk levels. "The greatest reductions that we have in cardiovascular disease is going from very low fitness to just doing something."

What's more, physical activity benefits can be achieved by brisk, purposeful walking — as if you're late for a bus. No fancy equipment needed.

The 150 minutes is a target to build toward, Ross said. He acknowledged that's a struggle for some, just as taking medication as prescribed can be.

Physician groups in British Columbia and Quebec offer customized fitness prescription pads to encourage exercise.

Dr. Ron Wilson of Denman Island, B.C., says the strategy works better with a wider public health response.

"When we do give an exercise prescription to patients, they have somewhere in the community to go where they get the support they need," Wilson said.

In the past, it was thought that maybe physicians need sophisticated equipment, treadmills or exercise bicycles in their office to measure cardiorespiratory fitness. But now algorithms, websites and apps can provide an estimate of a person's fitness level.

Since no special expertise is required, a nurse could use the algorithm while the patient is in the office waiting for the physician, Ross suggested, just as other vital signs such as blood pressure are measured. The physician could then interpret the results with the patient.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/cardio...ness-1.3871424

Stellar article here. I fully agree.

It's time we quit dilly dallying and make this a central focus for our healthcare professionals.

How many minutes of cardio do you get a week? Do you meet the 150 minute guideline?

[Deleted]

you lecture people a bit too much about fitness for just a tennisman
let people be lazy slugs if they are complacent in their mediocrity
it's their body not yours
as long as they don't take too much of your space when commuting with you it's none of your business

[Tennis]

you bragg too much about fitness for just a tennisman
let people be lazy slugs if they are complacent in their mediocrity
it's their body not yours
as long as they don't take too much of your space when commuting with you it's none of your business

No way. We don't just stand by and let people get lung cancer from smoking do we?
We have public awareness campaigns and warnings on cigarettes among other things.

[Deleted]

No way. We don't just stand by and let people get lung cancer from smoking do we?
We have public awareness campaigns and warnings on cigarettes among other things.

I feel like anti-smoking campaigns are overrated. And a waste of cash
smokers don't give a shit about their health.

[Deckon]

Tennisace, you have no right to dictate how someone else treats their bodies. Their life decisions are theirs, not yours. You sound like a dictator when you make such statements.

Live and let live dude.

[Vash The Stampede]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/cardio...ness-1.3871424

Stellar article here. I fully agree.

It's time we quit dilly dallying and make this a central focus for our healthcare professionals.

How many minutes of cardio do you get a week? Do you meet the 150 minute guideline?

Japan does this sorta thing. Works for them.

I feel like anti-smoking campaigns are overrated. And a waste of cash
smokers don't give a shit about their health.

Non smokers do, and second hand smoke sucks.

[Polyxo]

I do think cardiovascular, muscular and general athletic performance should be kind of monitored by your primary care physician. It does give doctors a good handle of how healthy someone is. For instance, I know some super burly guys that are really, really athletic. I mean, you'd think they're like complete couch potatoes, but they can play long minutes in ice hockey, do backflips, do distance running, box semi-pro.

[Clone]

Measuring cardiovascular health is not the same as enforcing a lifestyle.

For the sake of discussion, how do you guys feel about people living an unhealthy life style and then the rest of the population having to pay for it through medicare, or hospitals having to foot the bill for people that can't pay?

[Tennis]

Tennisace, you have no right to dictate how someone else treats their bodies. Their life decisions are theirs, not yours. You sound like a dictator when you make such statements.

Live and let live dude.

The Government must consider what is best for society.

[Powerogue]

But that's fatphobic! Health at every shape, including spherical!

(Of course I'm joking but you know that'll be the first thing you hear when this is implemented. The second would be me, complaining about the doctor trying to get me to do a pull-up, falling on my face, and having to pay them extra to fix the broken nose)

[LilSaihah]

I'm agreeing with Tennisace. What's happening to me? I'm afraid. Please send help.

[Forgettable]

I'm agreeing with Tennisace. What's happening to me? I'm afraid. Please send help.

Don't worry, his next thread will make you facepalm once again. Until then, be strong!

[Traveler Voltin]

How about no

[Mistame]

Monitor? Sure. Stick your/their nose(s) into other peoples' lives? Piss off.

Japan does this sorta thing. Works for them.

Explains why Asuka is performing in the US. That chic is chunky.

[Soeroah]

I mean, I'm not gonna get grossly overweight and unfit and stuff, but to me it doesn't make sense spending a significant portion of my day over a significant portion of my life "getting fitter" so I can live longer. I don't know how long I'm going to live, for one, and for two it feels inefficient unless one hour of working out = several times that later in life. Since I'd logically be extending my life when I'm like 80 years old, as opposed to now when I'm much more able to do things I want to do, I find it hard to justify. Sure I'd be a fitter 80 year old, but fit enough to make the most of those extra years that are so far away, in the unknowable future?

[Triks]

Let people lead the lives they want. I attend powerlifting meets but I am sure as hell not going to say that everyone on the planet should be doing powerlifting or whatever other sport is flavor of the month. As long as people understand and accept the consequences of their choices, then it isn't a problem.

[Thoughtful Trolli]

Hell to the Fucking No.

I don't smoke anything at all, but I've tried cigars so I was a "good person" and told my doctor I've had such.

Turns out later that makes health insurance premiums skyrocket. Even though I might have done Hookah ten times with friends... Out of decades of living though.

Shouldn't have to lie to tell the truth but that's what stupid shit like this starts good people having to do. "Measuring fitness" is just the first step in making you pay more for stupid shit.

This from a dumb population that will never, ever refuse to push a Sin Tax, when through deep intellectual analysis, sin tax is what's literally starting to fracture our world apart.

[Mihalik]

Hell to the Fucking No.

I don't smoke anything at all, but I've tried cigars so I was a "good person" and told my doctor I've had such.

Turns out later that makes health insurance premiums skyrocket. Even though I might have done Hookah ten times with friends... Out of decades of living though.

Shouldn't have to lie to tell the truth but that's what stupid shit like this starts good people having to do. "Measuring fitness" is just the first step in making you pay more for stupid shit.

This from a dumb population that will never, ever refuse to push a Sin Tax, when through deep intellectual analysis, sin tax is what's literally starting to fracture our world apart.

A lot of rambling there.

First of all outside the US, in the rest of the civilized world there are no "premiums" as there is this thing called a single payer healthcare system. Second measuring cardio respiratory fitness is actually common in countries like Spain where I currently live. I have been here for 7 years, and while initially I wasn't tested, for that, I was and get it yearly since I turned 30.

As my doctor put it: -The leading cause of death among men, is heart disease, the best way to avoid it as to get ahead of it before it can become a problem. Even if you look superficially healthy (normal weight) your cardio vascular system might not be in such a good state.

Guess what? I have no problem with my doctor trying to keep me alive and healthy.

Finally Sin Tax. It's basically the only thing that works. I remember when I was a kid (I'm really not that old) it was completely normal for people to smoke in restaurants, bus stations etc. Even in my early 20's going out meant that as soon as you got home, you basically had to scrub the smell of cigarettes out of your skin and everything had to be washed etc. because you smelled like a fucking ashtray, even if you didn't smoke. FUCK THAT.

Do you want to smoke? Sure. But don't get your crap on me.
Do you want to smoke? Sure. But don't use national resources I paid into to treat your fucking throat cancer. Pay that sin tax, and hope that covers the whole you blew in the national budget.

[Ginantonicus]

I stopped at this bit

The 150 minutes is a target to build toward, Ross said. He acknowledged that's a struggle for some, just as taking medication as prescribed can be.

and realized this guy needs to read up on the latest studies.

Latest studies are showing that HIT(High Intensity Training) is far more beneficial than other forms of exercise. The BBC did a documentary it claimed 30sec flat out 100%(If you don't feel like you are dying you are not pushing hard enough) sprint followed by a 2 min rest, repeated 3 times, done 3 times a week. Was enough exercise to improve your health. The documentary is called "The Truth About Exercise".

[Barael]

(If you don't feel like you are dying you are not pushing hard enough)

As effective as HIT is, it's really not recommendable for anyone who already isn't already a cardio enthusiast. I tried it a couple years back (with really bad results including inflammated calf muscles that took month to heal) and frankly I'll take a regular 10km+ run over a <10 minute HIIT anytime.

HIT is basically the worst thing to try when starting out and will most likely make you give up on exercise altogether.