title: Cost-effectiveness of exercise is medicine.
abstract: There is considerable scientific evidence documenting the health benefits associated with a physically active lifestyle. Despite this evidence, a high level of physical inactivity in many countries is placing a considerable burden on health care budgets. Country-specific estimates of the economic costs attributable to physical inactivity range from 1.2% to 2.5% of total annual health care expenditures. Despite the existence of effective physical activity interventions, their deployment in primary care has been limited. The results from a limited number of studies conducted in primary care settings demonstrate that the promotion of physical activity may be a cost-effective approach. Future studies of physical activity intervention are encouraged to contribute important cost-effectiveness analysis information to the emerging evidence in this area.
authors.affiliation: Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70808-4124, USA. Peter.Katzmarzyk@pbrc.edu
authors.forename: Peter T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Katzmarzyk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057185:Sedentary Behavior