The 'Activídate' initiative, which promotes sports prescriptions in the Canary Islands, is demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing the need for medication to control blood pressure and anxiety. At participating centers, cases of patients who have been able to discontinue drug treatments thanks to regular physical exercise are already being observed.
Dr. Ramón Medina, director of the health center in Teror, one of the seven active physical exercise units (UAEF) of the program, highlights the observed benefits, particularly in women between 55 and 60 years old. "We have particularly observed these benefits in women between 55 and 60 years old, who have managed to lose weight and control their blood pressure through sports," the physician reports. Weight loss, between 5% and 10%, is a key factor for adjusting treatments.
Beyond cardiovascular improvements, the program also reports benefits in mood and anxiety control. Dr. Medina emphasizes that these changes are the result of consistent work over about six months. "Physical exercise is a very powerful tool, but it must be taken into account that changes do not occur immediately; they are the result of constant work maintained for about six months," he specifies.
'Activídate' was launched in September as a pilot project between the ministries of Health and Education, Vocational Training, Physical Activity and Sports of the Government of the Canary Islands. It targets sedentary individuals over 55 years old with cardiovascular risk factors, using physical activity as a therapeutic tool to improve the management of chronic diseases.
Users are referred from health centers to the UAEFs, where they receive individualized exercise plans supervised by professionals. The intervention lasts approximately six months, although some participants reach their goals sooner. General recommendations include 120 to 180 minutes of weekly physical activity.
A survey conducted in April among 533 users showed high satisfaction (96.2%), attributed to both the attention from physical education instructors and the participants' perceived progress. Program adherence is also favorable, with over 90% satisfaction in an internal audit at the Teror unit and around 70% regular participation.
The program, which has accumulated 694 referrals and served 655 users across the Archipelago, also has a community impact by being conducted in municipal sports facilities and parks, revitalizing local life. In Teror, the creation of an "Activídate bonus" with discounts at sports centers is being considered.
Currently, 'Activídate' is running in Añaza (Tenerife), Tinajo (Lanzarote), La Frontera (El Hierro), San Sebastián de La Gomera, Gran Tarajal (Fuerteventura), and Villa de Mazo (La Palma), with plans to activate four more UAEFs.
The Minister of Education, Vocational Training, Physical Activity and Sports, Poli Suárez, has positively assessed the initiative, highlighting its "significant physical and health improvements for users" and calling it "one of the major actions in sports matters of this legislature" due to its long-term benefits for quality of life.
