Those who talk to doc likely exercise more

CHICAGO, April 17 (UPI) -- If you bring up exercise to your doctor, there's a good chance you already are doing the recommended 150 minutes of exercise a week, a survey indicates.

An online survey by the American Osteopathic Association indicates more than 40 percent of adults who discuss exercise with their primary care physicians meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendation of getting a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week.

Only 26 percent of U.S. adults who do not discuss exercise with their primary care physician meet the national recommendations, the survey says.

"Regular exercise plays a vital role in treating and preventing many chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, obesity and hypertension," Dr. Karen J. Nichols, president of the American Osteopathic Association, says in a statement.

"Often, simple lifestyle choices, like establishing a regular exercise routine, can help to reduce the risk of chronic illness later in life."

Although 80 percent of all survey respondents say they participate in moderate-intensity exercise weekly, the association's survey found that 68 percent of adults come up short of the recommended minimum national guidelines of 30 minutes per day five days per week.

Most say the top barrier for more exercises is a lack of time, especially for adults age 30 and under, but almost half of adults also say a lack of motivation is a major barrier.

The survey of 1,037 U.S. adults was conducted March 11-13. It has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.