Walk with a Doc—a Call to Action for Physician-Led Walking Programs

Abstract

Purpose of Review An abundance of data supports the health benefits of physical activity, social connectedness, and spending time outdoors. Yet, a majority of Americans are living lives that are sedentary, lonely, and not connected with nature. We have three primary goals in writing this paper. First, we will review the well-documented health challenges arising from a sedentary, isolated lifestyle. Second, we will discuss the benefits of walking as a primary means of increasing physical activity. Finally, we will shine a light on the exponential success of Walk with a Doc, a national non-profit organization. Walk with a Doc focuses on bringing physician-led enthusiasm into our communities by organizing regular doctor-led walks in the outdoors; as well as Walk with a Future Doc, which encourages medical students to start their own Walk with a Doc programs. Recent Findings The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans share that physical activity is an important action that people of all ages can take to improve their health. These guidelines recommend that adults partake in at least 150 min of moderate aerobic physical activity. Currently, only 23% of Americans are achieving this amount of aerobic activity. In addition, recent data suggest that 3 in 4 people are lonely, a significant social determinant of health. Finally, over half of all Americans spend fewer than 5 h outside each week. Walk with a Doc and Walk with a Future Doc are having an enormous impact on combating the negative effects of these health challenges. An evaluability assessment was completed in 2018 showing Walk with a Doc attendees felt the program increased their physical activity and their social connections, with a majority of Walk with a Doc gatherings occurring in nature. Physicians and other Walk with a Doc program leaders also reported high levels of satisfaction with their participation in Walk with a Doc. Summary As teammates in this healthcare fight, we are all painfully aware of the crisis on our hands. Of our patients, 70% are overweight or obese, nearly 80% of us are not getting enough physical activity, with all of this leading to billions of dollars in healthcare costs. Adding fuel to the fire, our doctors are burning out because of it. Today, we want to share what we have learned to be an extremely viable solution. The solution has the capacity to save 5 million lives and $68 billion dollars per year. Additionally, it is bolstering the job satisfaction and happiness of our providers. Personally, it turned my life around in 2005, and since then, it is now greater than 560 communities around the USA (and 34 other countries). We call it, simply, Walk with a Doc.

Advice to People with Parkinson’s in My Clinic: Exercise

“…It is well established that a physician advising a patient to obtain the recommended number of minutes of exercise per week is ineffective in achieving that goal. In fact, walking with a doctor has even been suggested as one solution [ 37 ]. A detailed review of the literature on successful behavioral interventions is currently being conducted [ 38 ].…”

4 C’s Approach to Meaningful and Lasting Positive Behavior Change

“…Given the normalization of unhealthy foods, it is imperative to join a community that advocates for a whole foods plant-predominant diet. Monthly plant-based potlucks, cooking classes, community walking programs such as Walk with a Doc 12 and bimonthly group support sessions have propelled many of my patients towards a healthier diet and lifestyle. When patients learn that others are not doing it perfectly, it can allow them to relax and continue the journey.…”

Walk with a Future Doc program allows Canadian medical students to promote physical activity and health education in local communities

“…2 Walk with a Doc is a notfor-profit organization that aims to increase community levels of health education, physical activity, and social connectedness. 3 The program started in Ohio in 2005 and now has over 500 chapters worldwide, including Just Walk chapters led by allied health professionals and Walk with a Future Doc (WWAFD) chapters led by medical students. The efficacy of WWAFD is not published nor well understood.…”