Think back to the last time you had a checkup with your health care provider. They likely weighed you, asked your height and measured your blood pressure, heart rate, temperature and breathing. The medical team probably also asked questions about your health history, current medications and if you had any pain. But did they ask about your physical activity level?  

The American College of Sports Medicine, the American Heart Association and other organizations have advocated for making assessment of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness a “health vital sign.” Your fitness levels may be a better indicator of overall health and how long you’ll live than more established factors such as body weight, blood pressure and whether you smoke or use tobacco products.

The physical activity vital sign can be evaluated in a few easy steps. First, during a patient exam the medical team asks two questions:

• How many days each week (on average) do you engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (like a brisk walk)?
• How many minutes each day (on average) do you participate in physical activity at this level?

Next, based on these numbers, your health care team will calculate a physical activity score that’s entered into your medical record. If your physical activity score is at or above the recommended weekly amount of 150 minutes, then you’ll be encouraged to keep up the good work and continue to stay active. However, if you score below 150 minutes, then you’ll get a physical activity prescription (e.g., walk 20 minutes, three times each week) and may be referred to a fitness professional to help you work towards increasing your activity level.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that engaging in regular physical activity can help to prevent and treat many chronic health conditions such as heart disease, fight infection (such as from COVID-19), improve sleep and enhance quality of life. Increasing physical activity and fitness level, by even modest amounts, can translate to savings of $1,600 in annual health care costs. Simply put, regular exercise—or even just moving your body more—is a form of “medicine” that is safe, accessible, affordable and highly effective.

Even though physical activity has many health benefits, only 1 in 4 adults currently meet the recommended guidelines. Adopting it as a vital sign of health and making it a standard part of every patient exam can help to reverse this trend. The Exercise is Medicine Initiative, along with the Physical Activity Alliance offer guidance for how health care systems, professional organizations and universities can work together towards achieving this goal.

So, the next time you go in for your yearly checkup, don’t be surprised if you are asked about your daily activity, step count or fitness level. The information you provide will help your medical team better assess and support your overall health!