A new initiative by the New Brunswick Medical Society is to encourage doctors to write out prescriptions for exercise and there are good reasons why.
According to Stats Canada, Saint John is the most obese city in the country with one-quarter of adults obese and New Brunswick is the second most obese province in the country.
Medical Society President Dr. Lynn Hansen calls exercise a wonder drug and now over 100 doctors are including exercise on specially provided exercise prescription pads alongside their regular prescriptions. Evidence has found patients are acting on the exercise prescriptions they get from their doctors.
The province’s doctors have also renewed a partnership with Run New Brunswick called “Small Strides, Healthy Lives” which encourages children and young people to get active by awarding medals to those who take part in races.
They also worked with NB Dietitians in Action for the “Make Menus Matter” initiative in November last year, which examined healthy food availability in school cafeterias.
