Textbook about physical activity on prescription

2012-01-24

There is strong scientific evidence that physical activity promotes health and can be used to both prevent and treat many widespread diseases. “Individually Adapted, Written Prescription of Physical Activity – FaR®” is a textbook about physical activity on prescription, a method for promoting physical activity through the healthcare services.

This is the first textbook in the area and the aim of the book is to provide an overall view of prescription of physical activity. It also aims to support the implementation of the method in healthcare services.

Various methods that include written prescriptions of physical activity are used internationally, but the methods are not directly transferrable to the Swedish healthcare system. What is unique about the Swedish method is that the counselling and prescription are individualised based on the patient’s circumstances, that daily physical activity is a central component and that licensed healthcare professionals with adequate expertise may prescribe physical activity. In many countries, only physicians may issue written prescriptions and the prescription is often a referral to exercise groups within the healthcare setting during a shorter period.

This new textbook has a broad target audience: students, public health science or health pedagogy, physical education teachers, etc. The book is also addressed to professionals such as healthcare professionals that prescribe physical activity or work with the implementation of the method, activity organisers who help individuals become physically active and public health planners who work with the structures to implement the method.

To place prescription of physical activity in a context, the textbook illustrates why it is important to promote physical activity in the population. It also defines prescription of physical activity and what scientific evidence there is. The book also describes how it  can be used in daily clinical practice and how cooperation can take place between different actors.

To learn more please read the “Individually Adapted, Written Prescription of Physical Activity – FaR®” summary.