Over-55s in the Canaries to get exercise on prescription
From September 2025, the Canary Islands will break new ground in public healthcare by introducing Activídate, a pioneering programme that will allow GPs to prescribe physical activity in the same way they would order a blood test or diagnostic scan.
The aim is to improve public health, reduce reliance on medication, and prevent chronic illnesses, particularly among people aged over 55.
The scheme will be free, universal, and accessible, operating not through traditional gyms but via “movement consultations” in accredited public spaces.
Qualified sports professionals will design safe, personalised exercise plans in collaboration with healthcare staff and the Official College of Physical Education and Sports Educators of the Canary Islands.
The idea took shape in 2023 when the Vice Minister for Sports, Ángel Sabroso, discovered €416,420 in unallocated EU funds intended for an exercise prescription plan. To avoid returning the money to Brussels, officials studied national and international models, leading to an agreement between the regional health and education departments.
The result was the Canary Islands Physical Activity Prescription Strategy, and it includes clinical protocols, a referral system, specialist training, and a digital platform and is now in its final testing phase.
Over the past year, more than 500 healthcare professionals and 400 physical activity specialists across the islands have been trained to design and monitor exercise programmes. The pilot phase will begin on 1st September in eight areas: Gran Tarajal (Fuerteventura), Teror and La Isleta (Gran Canaria), Tinajo (Lanzarote), La Frontera (El Hierro), San Sebastián (La Gomera), Villa de Mazo (La Palma) and Añaza (Tenerife), covering more than 80,000 residents.
Initially, the focus will be on the over-55s. According to 2023 data from the EVA Programme, 54% of this group have high blood pressure, 45% suffer from high cholesterol, 25% have type 2 diabetes, and 27% are smokers or recent ex-smokers. Four in ten do not engage in regular physical activity. The plan aims to reverse these trends, tackle the health risks linked to inactivity and excess weight, affecting 22% of adults and nearly 46% of children aged six to nine, and reduce mortality rates associated with these conditions.
“Less medicine. More movement. Less waiting. More support. Less loneliness. More shared health,” summarised Sabroso. Far from being a short-term project, Activídate is intended as a permanent feature of the healthcare system, with stable funding and ongoing development. Eighty per cent of the planned spending has already been secured through EU funds, and the digital platform will ensure each case is tracked and monitored.
Looking ahead, the challenge will be to expand the programme to more municipalities, increase accredited venues, and strengthen continuous training. Authorities hope that, in addition to improving health, Activídate will reduce demand for medication and ease the strain on healthcare services.
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