09/23/2026
The conversation around physical activity and healthcare often focuses on the immediate results.
But prevention doesn't always work on a one-year timeline.
Research by Sato et al. examined the relationship between physical activity and healthcare spending among U.S. adults 65+. They found no significant association in the first year, but a 10-percentage-point increase in physical activity prevalence was associated with approximately 0.4% lower Medicare spending after 2 years and 1% lower spending after 3 years.
That time lag matters.
As an illustrative extrapolation, if a similar 1% reduction were applied to the approximately $600 million annual burden of arthritis in PEI, that would represent roughly $6 million in potential economic impact by Year 3.
And that's just arthritis.
Arthritis is one condition among many where physical activity can play an important role in prevention, management, function, and quality of life. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, COPD, falls, sarcopenia and many other conditions also carry enormous human and economic costs.
The point isn't that physical activity will magically eliminate healthcare costs.
The point is that we need to start thinking about movement as part of the healthcare system, and recognize that the return on prevention may take years to show up.
If we only measure the value of prevention by what happens this year, we may miss the impact of what happens three, five, or ten years from now.
Movement is Medicine.
Sato et al. (2020). Older Adults’ Physical Activity and Healthcare Costs, 2003–2014. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 58(5), e141–e148. The PEI $6M figure is an illustrative extrapolation, not a PEI-specific prediction.
