Dresden (dpa/sn) - In the future, doctors in Saxony should not only be able to send their patients to their colleagues or to the pharmacy, but also to the sports club. The so-called recipe for exercise should be a motivation for more exercise and a more active lifestyle, the Ministry of Social Affairs announced on Monday in Dresden. Appropriate physical exercise plays a major role in the prevention of chronic diseases, it said. It also has a positive effect on well-being, psyche and body.

The recipe already exists in many other federal states. According to the ministry, studies there had shown that patients trust the medical advice and are therefore more interested in health courses with the prescription. Any costs incurred, such as the membership fee, would not be covered by the health insurance company, but would have to be borne by yourself. The "recipe for exercise" in Saxony was initiated by the state medical association, the sports physicians' association and the state sports association, among others.