By 2050, there will be two billion people in the world aged over 60. Such population ageing will inevitably lead to increases in the prevalence of chronic diseases and healthcare burdens. In the UK alone, over 17 million people live with one or more chronic conditions, taking up 50% of all general practitioner appointments and 70% of the UK’s (c. £200 billion) health and care budget. Finding cost-effective strategies to reduce this chronic disease burden is, therefore, imperative.
At the same time, there is compelling evidence for the use of exercise in the treatment of 26 conditions.1 Such evidence has led exercise to be described as medicine, the holy grail, a miracle cure and the prophylactic for ageing. Indeed, the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) now advocates for exercise as a preventive measure against disease, and an essential tool in slowing disease progression and aiding in management and rehabilitation.
Despite the known…
