The weak evidence base underpinning the effectiveness of exercise as medicine is holding the physical activity sector back at a time when it should be at the forefront of public health delivery.

That is the view of exercise science experts from the ukactive Research Institute, whose new academic piece brands the failure to demonstrate the clear health benefits of exercise in a real world setting a ‘serious concern’.

The article Death by Effectiveness: Exercise as Medicine Caught in the Efficacy Trap! – published today (13 February) in the British Journal of Sports Medicine – calls into question the methods currently used to judge whether exercise is an effective prescription for use in clinical medicine and public health.

Physical activity has long been heralded for its medicinal value, with growing calls for it to be more widely prescribed by practitioners. Exponents argue that this is especially pertinent in the face of the economic strain of treating preventable non-communicable disease in the UK, a burden that many believe will lead to the demise of the NHS.

On the back of several high-profile reports criticising the evidence base for exercise, ukactive Research Institute principal investigator Dr Chris Beedie and his team posit in their new paper that too many researchers conduct studies in laboratories and their findings do not translate to real world practice.

“In controlled trials, the power of exercise to improve health and ward off disease has been demonstrated beyond question,” said Beedie.

“It is however, a serious concern that this evidence does not translate well into real life settings in our communities. Unless better evidence is provided, the credibility of exercise as a public health tool could be seriously undermined.”

The paper warns that medical practitioners and public health commissioners who would need the confidence that exercise is as effective as many competing interventions – such as pharmaceuticals – are currently faced with a worrying lack of evidence.

“We simply cannot afford to indulge in ‘bad science’ any longer,” added ukactive CEO David Stalker.

“This controversial piece of work cuts to the heart of the need to develop the right kind of measures to support what the physical activity sector should be delivering alongside public health and medical services.”

To access the paper, click here.