Abstract
IntroductionPrimary care providers can recommend strength training programs to use “Exercise as Medicine,” yet few studies have examined the interest of primary care patients in these programs.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey of primary care patients in central Pennsylvania. Interest in participating in free group-based strength training and weight control programs was assessed, in addition to patient demographics, medical history, and quality of life.ResultsAmong 414 patients, most (61.0%) were aged 54 or older, and 64.0% were female. More patients were interested in a strength training program (55.3%) than in a weight control program (45.4%). Nearly three-quarters (72.8%) of those reporting 10 or more days of poor physical health were interested in a strength training program compared with 49.5% of those reporting no days of poor physical health. After adjusting for potential confounders, those reporting poorer physical health had 2.7 greater odds (95% confidence interval, 1.4–5.1) of being interested in a strength training program compared with those reporting better physical health. Patients with hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol were not more interested in a strength training program than those without these conditions.ConclusionPrimary care practices may consider offering or referring patients to community-based strength training programs. This study observed high levels of interest in these widely available programs. Practices may also consider screening and referring those with poorer physical health, as they may be the most interested and have the most to gain from participating.
Highlights
Primary care providers can recommend strength training programs to use “Exercise as Medicine,” yet few studies have examined the interest of primary care patients in these programs
The 2011 Position Stand from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) suggests that the resistance of each repetition in Strength training (ST) should be in the “moderate” to “hard” perceived effort range, defined as 60% to 70% of the maximum load that can be moved in a single repetition [7]
Most (72.8%) participants reporting more than 10 days of poor physical health in the past month were interested in the group ST program, versus 49.5% of those reporting no days of poor physical health (Table 2)
Summary
Primary care providers can recommend strength training programs to use “Exercise as Medicine,” yet few studies have examined the interest of primary care patients in these programs. The 2011 Position Stand from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) suggests that the resistance of each repetition in ST should be in the “moderate” to “hard” perceived effort range, defined as 60% to 70% of the maximum load that can be moved in a single repetition [7]. This typically allows a user to complete 8 to 12 repetitions per set, which should produce muscle fatigue but not exhaustion. The ACSM and American Heart Association (AHA) joint guidelines for adults recommend ST activities for a minimum of 20 minutes two or more days each week [6]
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