Doctors tell people to take a hike

By ROSALEEN MacBRAYNE

Just what the doctor ordered ...

An innovative scheme to get non-active people moving will begin in Taupo in November.

"Exercise on prescription" will focus on those most at risk of health problems from lack of physical exertion. It aims to go a step further than the successful "green prescription" programme that last year encouraged nearly 6000 people to improve their health through activity.

Using that framework, Taupo's version is a 10-week supervised personal exercise regime prescribed to patients by their general practitioners.

It will be run by the Taupo District Council through a full-time exercise co-ordinator based at the AC Baths - the town's large thermal swimming complex - and the adjacent Taupo Event Centre's fitness suite.

Backed by the Sport and Recreation active communities investment scheme to the tune of $155,000 for three years, the programme will cost participants little or nothing.

The district council's community and recreation manager, Jean-Paul Gaston, said "exercise on prescription" would be available each year to 350 people at risk from lack of exercise.

By 2010, the programme should have reached about 5 per cent of the district's population, he said.

Unlike the "green" prescriptions, where support was mainly by telephone from Sport Waikato in Hamilton, Taupo patients would have what amounted to a personal trainer, said Mr Gaston.

After an initial fitness assessment, they had a choice of structured exercise classes. They might, for instance, elect to do aqua jogging or join a walking group.

"They will have a programme set out for them with free, unlimited use of the AC Baths and fitness suite for 10 weeks," he said. "They will also be introduced to other gyms in the town."

Mr Gaston said the council was looking for a private sponsor to join it and Sport and Recreation in promoting the scheme.

Taupo GP Meg Gustafsen said local doctors were right behind the concept.

"We hope it will provide a structured, supported exercise programme to refer patients to, instead of simply advising people to exercise and sending them off to cope on their own," she said.

"Exercise on prescription" had the potential to be an effective intervention for a range of medical conditions exacerbated by lack of physical activity, including diabetes and obesity, she said.

Sport and Recreation spokeswoman Sarah Ryan said $1 million had been awarded nationwide to projects aimed at getting people active at a local level.

People could talk to their doctor or nearest regional sport trust about "green" prescriptions or contact Sport and Recreation.