Green Prescriptions have proved to be a highly cost-effective way of increasing physical activity over the past 25 years, making significant improvements to New Zealanders' health. We know that increased physical activity has so many benefits including prevention and better management of type 2 diabetes and reducing the impact of cardiovascular disease – two of the major targets for improving our population's health.
Green Prescription Whanganui is proud to have the fabulous support of all the GP practices in Whanganui and our regions Rangitikei and Ruapehu.
Dr John McMenamin, no stranger to Green Prescription, describes the solid evidence for the benefits of Green Prescription: "For we GPs and practice nurses who see patients in general practice, so many of the health conditions we treat can be helped by exercise. Almost all health conditions benefit from increased activity.
"Research published in the New Zealand Medical Journal indicates that a Green Prescription is an inexpensive way of increasing activity, and research published in the British Medical Journal found that a Green Prescription can improve a patient's quality of life over 12 months.
"What's important about this research is that it not only encourages more physical activity as a health prescription, but that there is no evidence of adverse effects.