A study promoted by the Catalan Society of Family and Community Medicine (CAMFiC), with the participation of researchers from IDIAPJGol, concludes that the prescription of physical activity in primary care is infrequent and not carried out in a structured and individualized manner, despite strong scientific evidence of its benefits for the prevention and treatment of diseases. The study, published in the Spanish indexed journal Atención Primaria, identifies several barriers to implementing physical exercise prescriptions in Primary Care Centres (CAPs): lack of time and specific protocols, limited professional training, and insufficient interdisciplinary coordination, among others.

As if it were a medication

“The challenge is not just to recommend physical activity, but to prescribe it with the same precision as we would a drug: with dosage, frequency, and clear objectives,” says IDIAPJGol researcher Francesc Alòs, co-author of the study.

The study proposes that prescribing physical exercise should go beyond offering generic advice, becoming structured and individualized interventions tailored to each patient. It also emphasizes the crucial role of primary care in reversing the growing impact of sedentary lifestyles, one of the main public health risk factors.

2030 Agenda

The authors call for continuous training, clinical guidelines, and technological tools to enable healthcare professionals to implement this practice effectively.
Physical exercise has been shown to be effective in preventing and treating cancer, sarcopenia (degenerative loss of muscle mass usually associated with aging), and chronic pain, among other conditions.

The study has been promoted by the Physical Activity and Health Group of CAMFiC and is part of ongoing efforts to align clinical practice with the population health goals set out in the 2030 Agenda.

Article reference

Morral A, Cazorla J, Alòs F, Puig-Torregrosa J, Buela Castell M, Romaguera M. [Prescription of physical activity and physical exercise in primary care: Current situation and implementation challenges]. Aten Primaria. 2025 Jun 28;57(9):103308. doi: 10.1016/j.aprim.2025.103308. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40582292.