The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that physical activity is one of the leading risk factors for non-communicable disease deaths worldwide. Several studies have shown that physical activity can reduce the risk of conditions such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Furthermore, exercise has been found to be beneficial in certain mental health conditions and improving the quality of life in patients undergoing cancer treatment. However, WHO estimates that 1 in 4 adults worldwide are not physically active enough. This has led to the development of the WHO global action plan on increasing physical activity, which includes integrating physical activity into primary health care. Globally, primary care professionals are already prescribing lifestyle changes, including those aimed at increasing physical activity. Examples of this include, prescription of gym memberships and initiatives that aim to better educate physicians on the benefits of physical activity on patient health. This research topic aims to discuss: • The effectiveness of exercise/lifestyle recommendations in improving patient outcomes in primary care. • Assessing physical activity in primary care practice • The use of exercise prescription to manage neurological diseases • The uptake of patients completing a recommended exercise plan and what can be done to increase this. • The importance of communication between the patient and physician in implementing the exercise plan and how this could be improved. • Confounding factors that affect the patient in following an exercise plan/ lifestyle recommendation. • Examples of where exercise recommendations by primary health care professionals have been successfully implemented in a real world setting. • Examples of successful clinical and community collaborations with allied health professionals such as exercise physiologists

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the first cause of death in the world. In the pandemic era, patients affected by NCDs were more susceptible to contracting the infection and developing its most severe clinical pictures. The widespread diffusion of NCDs is partly related to incorrect eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle that characterize developed Countries. This phenomenon can also be attributable to the epidemiological transition, which has caused the NCCDDs spread also in developing Countries. Among NCDs, chronic kidney disease (CKD), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and cancer are the most notable. In fact, the first one is characterized by a pervasive spread and it was hypothesized that in 2040, CKD will become the fifth most common cause of death in the world. Currently, CVDs are the main cause of death in the world, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year.

Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription is built around testing five physical fitness components—cardiorespiratory, muscular, body composition, flexibility, and balance—and designing appropriate exercise programs to improve each component based on assessment outcomes.