The case of Wellness Valley: promoting physical activity and exercise medicine for a sustainable health care system

ABSTRACT Today’s health care systems primarily focus on treating noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) rather than preventing them. Currently, this approach is not sustainable and requires innovative transformations to face the challenges posed by the aging population, the increasing NCD prevalence, widespread physical inactivity, and growing obesity rates. Regular physical activity and exercise improve quality of life and are effective for the prevention and treatment of numerous NCDs and to reduce health care costs. Physical activity promotion and exercise medicine thus represent cost-effective solutions for a sustainable model of health. The Wellness Valley initiative in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, exemplifies this model by fostering active, healthy lifestyles. In Wellness Valley, physical activity is promoted through multi-stakeholder initiatives of education and engagement, and exercise medicine is supported in the medical community through continuous education and dedicated infrastructure, such as certified health-promoting gyms. With these initiatives in place, the population of Wellness Valley is more physically active compared to the Italian national average. Overall, shifting health models toward preventative strategies centered on healthy active lifestyles and exercise can increase physical activity levels and contribute to alleviating the growing burden of NCDs on health care systems.