SLIPPERY ROCK — Exercise and medicine might be seen as two completely different things, but Slippery Rock University kicked off a program Tuesday based on the link between them.

Exercise is Medicine is a national initiative that argues that physical activity is one of the best preventers of disease. The overall goal of the program is to have doctors make recommendations of physical activity to patients.

The local kickoff program brought in a couple of national level speakers.

Adrian Hutber, vice president of the American College of Sports Medicine, said physical inactivity is the highest risk factor for causing death — nine times higher than obesity.

Physical activity can help prevent obesity, heart disease, diabetes and depression, he said.

“One hundred and fifty minutes of physical activity per week is high enough to prevent chronic disease,” Hutber said. “We have to do something about it, we really have to.”

He said SRU is doing more than most other universities. Since many adult behaviors and routines begin during college, he said it is important to have this type of program at universities.

Steve McDonough, a member of the president’s Council on Fitness, said at the event that the effects of physical activity are more noticeable when there is community reinforcement.

“We all have to do better ... because we are all in this for a variety of reasons,” McDonough said.In addition to the speakers, the event was meant to show off some of the programs that SRU is using in the initiative.Jeff Lynn, a professor of exercise and rehabilitative sciences, said SRU has already started a few of its programs, including Walk the Rock, a program in which people try to walk 10,000 steps, and the Rock Personal Training program, in which people who have memberships at the Abersold Recreation Center pay $75 for a semester’s worth of personal training from undergraduate students in the exercise science program.Lynn said having undergraduates involved is unusual, making the program unique.“It’s just not heard of at the undergraduate level,” Lynn said.There are still several programs that will be unfolding in the future, he said.“We are in the very early stages of a lot of exciting things,” Lynn said.Carena Winters, an assistant professor of exercise and rehabilitative sciences, said students need to be involved for the initiative to be successful.“We cannot do what we want to do without you,” Winters said. “We need you. Walk the talk, run the talk, whatever you can do.”University President Robert Smith agreed.“The work that we do here is focused on making sure this is a successful program,” Smith said.The event also brought a couple of local officials to SRU’s campus.Paul Dickey, a Slippery Rock township supervisor, signed up, on behalf of the township, for the President’s Active Lifestyle Award, which is given to people who complete 30 minutes of exercise five days a week for six out of eight weeks.Ken Harris, mayor of Slippery Rock, signed a proclamation declaring May to be Exercise is Medicine month in the borough.“I encourage all citizens to participate ... in the interest of a better quality of life for all,” Harris said.He said his wife is the big exerciser in his household, and she is trying to get him to exercise more.“A day without walking or some other kind of exercise is an incomplete day (to her),” Harris said.