Scientists claim that exercise may be just as effective as drugs for treating common conditions, such as coronary heart disease and stroke.

It has long been established that regular exercise is beneficial for health in general, but researchers now think exercise is “potentially as effective” as drug intervention, and they suggest it “should be considered as a viable alternative to, or alongside, drug therapy.”

Physical activity has well-documented health benefits, yet in England, roughly one-third of adults meet the recommended levels of physical activity. And a recent survey revealed that the same is true in the US.

By contrast, prescription drug rates continue to skyrocket, sharply rising to an average of 17.7 prescriptions for every person in England in 2010, compared with 11.2 in 2000.

However, there is very little evidence on how exercise compares with drugs in reducing the risk of death for common diseases, researchers say.

While pharmaceutical companies spend millions researching and developing new drugs, they seldom test the drugs’ efficacy against exercise alone. The report published on bmj.com today suggests pharmaceutical companies should include exercise intervention as an active comparator arm in drug trials.

Huseyin Naci, a researcher from the London School of Economics, is hopeful that this will change. He says: