The effects of exercise on long-term health are not always easy to quantify. But researchers at the University of Iowa found those who exercise on a regular basis are much less likely to suffer from one of 19 different chronic diseases.

Lucas Carr, associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Physiology, and his team surveyed more than 7,000 patients at the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center. They found those who exercised moderately to vigorously a minimum of 150 minutes per week had a statistically significant reduction in the risk for chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory disease and cancer.

That 150 minutes threshold is the current recommendation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Surveys showed those who were not active, those who reported little or no exercise on a weekly basis, were at a greater risk of developing one or more of those 19 chronic conditions.

As a result, researchers are hoping health care systems will begin providing information on health and wellness services in hopes of reducing the risk for physically inactive patients.

"In our health care environment, there's no easy pathway for a doctor to be reimbursed for helping patients become more physically active," Carr says. "And so, for these patients, many of whom report insufficient activity, we need options to easily connect them with supportive services like exercise prescriptions and/or community health specialists."

The survey was simple and only asked how many days per week the participants exercised, as well as how long each session lasted. It was given to patients over a five-year-period who were at the hospital for their annual wellness exam.

"This two-question survey typically takes fewer than 30 seconds for a patient to complete, so it doesn't interfere with their visit," Carr says. "But it can tell us a whole lot about that patient's overall health."

Click here to read more in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.