Exercise, the Cheapest Medicine on the Planet

Research has shown without question that regular physical activity has many benefits. The health risks of remaining sedentary are simply too high.

It wouldn’t be too difficult to drop a small fortune on a gym membership, a high-end pair of workout shoes, and some cool workout clothes. But, compared with the cost of mounting health problems from a lifetime of inactivity, it’s a bargain.

Volumes of research have shown without question that regular physical activity has many benefits. Regular exercise can strengthen your immune system, reducing your risk for colds and flus. It can also cut your chances of developing heart disease, stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, osteopororsis, depression, and some forms of cancer. If you already have symptoms, exercise can improve those conditions. In fact, one study found that exercise may be as effective as drugs in preventing heart disease and diabetes, improving rehabilitation after a stroke, and treating heart failure. Scientists are now exploring how exercise reverses the biological mechanisms at work in major depression.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Our Aerobic Exercise section

In the exam room and on his blog, urologist Neil Baum advises trying diet and an exercise program to address several conditions related to being overweight, including arthritis and erectile dysfunction.

“For those who buy into it, it’s been phenomenal. They get off their hypertensive medicines, they get off their diabetic medicines, and their arthritis improves because their joints aren’t taking such a load,” he said.

How to get started

You can find a good pair of athletic shoes for about $100, and you don’t need fancy workout clothes. In 2021, the average monthly cost of a gym membership was $38, and you could have spent as little as $20.)

But you don’t need a gym. You can work out with resistance bands in your living room and jump rope on the porch or in your kitchen. There are hundreds of apps, websites, and YouTube videos — many of them free — to guide you through a bodyweight workout or walking or running program. Free music mixes designed for workouts can keep you moving and motivated. So there really aren’t any excuses.

Need more convincing?

As of 2020, healthcare accounts for nearly 20 percent of the U.S. economy. More than 42 percent of American adults are obese, and less than a quarter aren’t overweight). On average, being obese means that your yearly medical costs are more than $2,500 higher and, for those who are morbidly obese, costs more than triple. Insurance is essential, but individuals will still run into personal costs.   

Type 2 diabetes often goes along with obesity. It has reached epidemic proportions and comes with a long list of potential complications. According to an analysis from GoodRX, the discount drug company, a typical person with type 2 diabetes taking insulin could spend nearly $5,000 a year on various out-of-pocket costs. The study looked at national data on prescription claims from 2016 through 2017.

To break this down further, consider these costs:

• A blood glucose meter and a supply of test strips: Without insurance, a standard glucose monitor could cost about $40 to $60; test strips cost about $1.50 each. A range of factors will dictate how often you test, but it’s not uncommon to test four times a day, using four strips. A typical patient might spend more than $3,000 on these supplies, GoodRX found, even if they are insured.
• You may need insulin or other medication to regulate your blood sugar. The average retail cost of various kinds of insulin is $476 for a 30-day supply, according to GoodRX.
• Nerve damage, especially to feet, is common with diabetes. Compression socks and some medications can help. But you may end up needing a rolling walker or scooter ($50 – $600, depending on how many wheels it has). And it’s hard to put a price on the loss of mobility.
• Diabetic complications can result in dental and vision problems, meaning more trips to the doctor, time away from work, and additional copays. Diabetes is a leading cause of lower-limb amputations, heart attacks, strokes, blindness, and kidney failure.

The point is, if you have type 2 diabetes or any chronic condition requiring greater than normal care — numerous trips to the doctor, multiple medications, and possibly medical equipment — it comes at a cost. Of course, the price will vary, depending on your insurance coverage, copays, medications, and complications.

But the cost isn’t just financial — there’s a cost to your quality of life. If you have a chronic condition that impairs your breathing, makes it difficult or painful to move, or requires taking equipment with you everywhere, it makes it less likely that you will participate in activities on your own or with family and friends.

So, get out there and move. Even just frequent 10-minute sessions of activity throughout the day can improve your health. The costs of remaining sedentary are simply too high.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Our Exercise Programs section