??Bridging the Gap: Integrating Healthcare, Fitness, and Communities for Active Lifestyles

We've had the honor of having Dr. Amy Bantham, a Doctor of Public Health from Harvard School of Public Health, in our podcast. She's the CEO and founder of Move to Live More, a research and consulting firm dedicated to integrating healthcare, fitness, and communities. Her mission is to help people lead longer, healthier, and more active lives. In this blog post, I am summarizing the discussions with Dr. Bantham on the challenges and opportunities in promoting healthy lifestyles.

?? Integrating Sectors for a Healthier Population

Amy's journey through the health and fitness industry, academia, and now leading her own firm is a testament to her commitment to public health. Her focus is not just on research but on practical applications and leadership in the field. Move to Live More aims to break down silos between healthcare, fitness, and communities to address physical inactivity and chronic disease with innovative, cross-sector collaboration.

?? Physical Activity Disparities in the US

In the US, only about 23% of the population meets the national physical activity guidelines. Disparities are evident, with Latino and Black populations showing significantly higher physical inactivity prevalence than Whites. These disparities are closely linked to health outcomes in communities of color. Targeted, multi-level interventions are needed to address these issues.

?? Building Trust Between Healthcare Providers and Fitness Professionals

One of the key findings from Amy's research was the trust gap between healthcare providers and community-based fitness professionals. Physicians were more comfortable referring patients within the healthcare system than to external fitness centers. To bridge this gap, Amy developed a ten-step roadmap to help fitness professionals become trusted community resources. This approach includes partnering with physiotherapists for a warm handoff after clinical treatment to continue exercise programs in community settings.

??♂? Promoting Long-term Behavior Change

Amy emphasizes the importance of moving beyond short-term interventions to foster long-term behavior change. This approach requires integrating healthcare referrals with community-based fitness programs and considering cost and access barriers to create sustainable physical activity habits.

?? Future Directions and Collaborations

As we look forward, there's a need for more interdisciplinary work and collaboration across sectors. The goal is to extend the reach of physical activity promotion, especially to underserved populations, and make a substantial impact on public health.

?? Tune in for More

To hear more insights from Dr. Amy Bantham on integrating healthcare, fitness, and communities for active lifestyles, listen to the full episode on the Physical Activity Researcher Podcast.

Join the Discussion

How do you think healthcare, fitness, and communities can better collaborate to promote physical activity? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below.

Physical Activity Researcher Podcast is the source of the latest research findings on all things related to physical activity, exercise, and health. It has over 400 episodes with world-leading experts, so you will find a lot of interesting episodes. Check out the podcast here: https://paresearcher.podbean.com/

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