Fitness Recession?
November 15th, 2009
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by Mark Nutting · Filed Under: Fitness and Weight Loss · Personal Training Business
I attended the Maine Harvard Prevention Research Center workshop on Nov. 12th titled “Your Brain on Exercise! Change The Way You Think About Exercise and For That Matter The Way You Think”. While Dr. John Ratey (author of Spark) did present on brain fitness, the majority of the day was spent on the importance of youth fitness and strategies to increase physical education in schools. After hearing how “there is no money” as an excuse not to proceed with initiatives, I’m reminded of our current economic recession. It takes investing money (even if it drives the country further into debt, temporarily) into economic stimulus programs to produce an environment in which old businesses can be saved, new businesses can be started, and new jobs will be created. That’s what will pull us out of this recession sooner and better than if we sat back “until we have the money”. (Now I know some will want to debate what I just said. Please, let it go. I don’t want to debate that here and now. Let’s just go on to the real point I want to make.)
As for physical education and, frankly, fitness in general, we are losing the battle. A recent study at Temple University showed that 20% of 4-Year-Olds In Ohio State are obese. 
That is just unbelievable and absurd and, especially at that age, is the parents’ fault. It’s child abuse even if the parents don’t believe it is.
So that’s where it can begin. What does it lead to? According to the CDC “In 2005-2006, 34% of U.S. adults and 16% of U.S. children and adolescents were obese. In 2000, obesity-related health care costs totaled an estimated $117 billion. Between 1987 and 2001, diseases associated with obesity accounted for 27% of the increases in medical costs. Medical expenditures for obese workers, depending on severity of obesity and sex, are between 29%–117% greater than expenditures for workers with normal weight.”
In this time of fitness recession, levels so low that overweight and obesity related health care costs account for 9.1% of total U.S. medical expenditures in 1998 and $78.5 billion. Can we afford to notspend money on programs to change the direction of this country’s health? Spend on additional physical education? ABSOLUTELY!But not just that. We have to change adults as well. Teach the importance and the how to’s. Businesses have to step forward to incorporate fitness programs as part of employee benefits, which, incidentally, will save them money in the long run. The CDC also has a resource for work sites called LEAN Works.
Talk to you legislature, your school boards, your local businesses… everyone about the need to change to become a healthier, more physically fit society and the economic and life benefits that come with it.
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There’s not much I can add to this Mark. The stats are accurate and the prognosis dismal. So, with that, I guess we should give up.
Of course I’m being sarcastic.
Bare with me for a second. I believe in the science behind global warming. Though the solution is difficult and complex, I’m happy that we continue to discuss the science , that a basic plan of attack has been formulated by both thought leaders and politicians and that the media has kept this story in the forefront. We can’t escape this discussion and the social consequences are too important to avoid the discussion. Even if one doesn’t agree with the science, strategies are actively debated.
Regarding childhood obesity and it’s effect on adult obesity and on adult obesity’s effect on health and well being, though the solution is difficult and complex, and in academic circles we continue to discuss the science , why has no effective plan of attack has been formulated by both thought leaders AND politicians and why hasn’t the media has kept this story in the forefront? Truth be told, as you state Mark, various medical associations have detailed strategies and some politicians and social leaders have already implemented plans regarding childhood obesity based upon the science. But the media covers these stories as feature stories, feel good stories, SECONDARY stories.
My point? Not only sould we talk to our legislature, school boards, and local businesses, but the media must cover this more intensely as well. To paraphrase the butler in the movie Arthur, we should ” alert the media.” Global warming is a real threat to our future generations, but this is a threat to OUR children NOW! I bet you dollars to donuts ( food pun semi intended ) that the national media, because of the movie 2012, has run more Mayan doomsday scenario stories this week, which have zero foundation in truth or importance, than obesity/health stories. In fact, the last time the media presented this as an intense problem was when the film Supersize Me came out.
We MUST alert the media and keep this in the forefront of the public.
Thanks, Hal. You’re right about getting to the media every opportunity we can. People, via the media, have to learn how severe the problem is, that it is preventable (for most), and what they can do about it. There’s a great blog post on strategies that we can all take from Ensemble Fitness called “Childhood Obesity: It Takes a Village” http://ensemblefitness.blogspot.com/2009/10/childhood-obesity-it-takes-village.html
Very nice blog indeed!