Valdosta State University will present the 2019 Exercise is Medicine Symposium from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 6, in Health Sciences and Business Administration Building Room 1002. Admission is free of charge with advance registration and open to the public.

The 2019 Exercise is Medicine Symposium will offer a full slate of lectures and discussions on topics such as exercise in the prevention and treatment of anxiety, depression, and cardiovascular disease; resistance training as a form of medicine; and the role of healthcare providers in exercise and fitness.

The speakers represent decades of experience and ample expertise on a wide swath of the health sciences spectrum. They are Dr. Mark Kasper, associate professor of exercise physiology and director of VSU’s exercise physiology undergraduate program; Dr. George Grieve, assistant professor of exercise physiology and director of VSU’s Human Performance Laboratory; Dr. Gregory Palevo, associate professor of exercise science at the University of North Georgia; Dr. Katharine Adams, associate professor of psychology, counseling, and family therapy and head of VSU’s clinical mental health counseling program; and Dr. LaGary Carter, associate professor of exercise physiology and associate dean for the School of Health Sciences within the VSU College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Exercise is Medicine is a global health initiative managed by the American College of Sports Medicine. It focuses on physical activity being integral to the prevention and treatment of diseases.

VSU is an active member of the Exercise is Medicine on Campus program, which calls upon universities and colleges to engage in the promotion of physical activity as a vital sign of health. This includes creating a campus community culture that makes movement a part of everyday life, assesses physical activity at every student health visit, provides the tools necessary to strengthen physical activity habits that can last a lifetime, and connects university health care providers with university health fitness specialists to provide a referral system for exercise prescription.

The 2019 Exercise is Medicine Symposium is hosted by VSU’s Center for Exercise Medicine and Rehabilitation. Tours will be available after the symposium.

VSU’s Health Sciences and Business Administration Building is located at 2525 N. Patterson St., across from South Georgia Medical Center.

Call (229) 253-2900 to register for the symposium. Seating is limited. Those who register by Wednesday, March 27, will receive a free T-shirt. Registration will also be available the day of the event.