Globe and Mail covers ARTEMIS study

But imagine a check-up with a different kind of prescription: Walk briskly; do some push-ups and lunges. Repeat.

It’s called an exercise prescription. “It’s very similar to any prescription. It’s a specific dose of exercise, individualized to the patient and signed off by the doctor,” says Dr. Robert Petrella, assistant director of the Lawson Health Research Institute and a University of Western Ontario professor who holds chairs in aging and health.

Dr. Petrella’s research reveals that the exercise prescription is a powerful and effective way to improve people’s health. “We know it is effective. We’ve proven it using sophisticated measures of cardiovascular health,” he says.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/healthy-living/written-prescr...