and Dunedin. The other was Elley (2003) and was done in 42 practices in the same region of New Zealand. General practitioners like the idea as it formalizes what they are telling the patient about how their lifestyle changes are necessary (Swinburn 1997). There has previously not been sufficient education of general practitioners on Exercise Prescription, compared to drug and procedural education, although the need to confidently prescribe exercise increases as the evidence shows of its benefits. If not confident or in difficult cases, General practitioners can refer on to Exercise physiologists, Physiotherapists or Sport & Exercise medicine specialists. Research in Australia has suggested that an exercise prescription program would be very beneficial and many ICU physiotherapists are already performing this practice, however there is no national standards to govern how this practice is administered so there is great variety in the ways this is administered therefore more research is needed. For specific diseases Osteoarthritis Studies show that exercise prescription aids in both preventing and minimizing the effects of joint disorders such as osteoarthritis. Evidence shows that in addition to the general physiological, psychological and functional benefits gained from exercise, greater quadriceps strength has a mitigating effect on knee joint pain. Depression A large body of research indicates that exercise prescription has beneficial effects for patients with depression. One study shows a significant improvement for a randomized group of women with major depressive disorder engaging in a twice-weekly resistance training program compared to a control group. The reasons for this marked change is thought to have biochemical, physiological and psychosocial aspects. Migraine Although routine physical activity could be an aggravating factor for migraine, physical exercise is considered to be part of a non-pharmacological strategy for migraine prevention. Migraine patients tend to have less pleasure in physical activity due to fear-avoidance and anxiety sensitivity. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) Blockage or closing of the arteries of the lower limbs impairs blood flow to the legs and results in significant reduction in physical capacity. Alternate exercise prescriptions to walking are considered. Aerobic exercises such as arm-cranking or cycling are recommended. Risk factors for disease progression should also be taken into account when aiming to improve waling ability. Functional capacity should be determined prior to commencement of prescribe exercise programs. Diabetes mellitus The number of individuals diagnosed with diabetes mellitus are rapidly increasing and a lot of evidence suggests this is due to an