Daily physical activity/exercise is which type of prevention ‑

Correct Answer » A Explanation

Primordial prevention aims to prevent the emergence of risk factors by promoting healthy lifestyles and creating environments that discourage the development of disease.

Daily physical activity and regular exercise are lifestyle measures that help prevent the development of risk factors such as:

• Obesity
• Hypertension
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• Cardiovascular diseases

Therefore, daily exercise is considered an example of primordial prevention.

Note: Many older textbooks and examinations considered exercise under primary prevention (health promotion). However, current preventive medicine (including Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine) classifies population-based lifestyle measures such as regular physical activity under primordial prevention, as they prevent the development of risk factors themselves.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect

B. Primary Prevention

• Incorrect because primary prevention aims to prevent disease after risk factors are already presentthrough measures such as:
  • Immunization
  • Chemoprophylaxis
  • Control of hypertension or diabetes
• Although health promotion is a component of primary prevention, daily exercise is now more appropriately classified as primordial prevention.

C. Secondary Prevention

• Incorrect because it involves early diagnosis and prompt treatment of disease.
• Examples:
  • Blood pressure screening
  • Mammography
  • Pap smear

D. Tertiary Prevention

• Incorrect because it focuses on limiting disability and rehabilitation after disease has occurred.
• Examples:
  • Cardiac rehabilitation
  • Physiotherapy after stroke
  • Prosthetic rehabilitation