Coming to America… FREE Fitness Programs?
We have an obesity epidemic on our hands here in the United States, and it doesn’t appear that it’s going to slow down anytime soon. Are we on the verge of destroying our own population due to illness and disease? Or will we finally wake up and take our health seriously as a country? Brazil seems to be taking a step in the right direction with their population by offering free fitness programs.
Brazilian government said enough is enough
In order for Brazil to help out their people, the government has created free fitness programs for everyone to take part in. While research is showing that mainly women are jumping on board, it’s still a step in the right direction none the less. And it’s something more places around the world should think about implementing. One of the researchers stated, “To combat rising obesity rates, the Brazilian government created the Academia das Cidades program, or City Academies, to give residents free access to fitness facilities and instructors. The program is aimed at adults, but has historically attracted middle-aged and older women who may not frequently exercise. Our research team studied the effectiveness of this program; we found that City Academies do meet their goal of increasing physical activity rates for adult women in these communities.”
The program itself is geared towards adults and is aimed at helping them lose weight though a government created program. This program was started in 2002 and is now in 184 cities throughout Brazil. People are encouraged to take advantage of these free classes by attending scenic public spaces designated in different cities. Classes are in parks or plazas where the public is able to exercise in the sunlight and enjoy the experience. Along with the class, participants are also given free dietary guidelines to help them lose weight.
One of the researchers mentioned, “With the program, we found a large increase in the population’s activity levels, especially for women. Worldwide and in Brazil, multiple surveys show that men are more active than women, education is directly related to leisure-time physical activity, and individuals of low socioeconomic status are less likely to engage in physical activity. Our study shows that these exercise programs help reduce those inequalities in physical activity. They may serve as a model for other communities and countries around the world to tackle the pandemic of physical inactivity.”
Free fitness programs… Will this work in the United States?
Unfortunately, I don’t believe so. In fact, I’m pretty sure that 85% of the population wouldn’t even try it once. We are in denial here in America. We look to our left and right and see people in worse physical shape than us and we think we “aren’t that bad.” When in reality, according to statistics and guidelines, these people are considered overweight or obese. We seem to have changed our standards over the years where being overweight is acceptable and is the new norm. There is no ideal body weight in their eyes anymore. And that’s not to say that overweight or obese individuals aren’t good people, it’s just they’re only fooling themselves. The risk factors involved in living the lifestyle they do is like lighting a fuse and waiting for the bomb to go off at some point. Sooner or later illness and disease will become a reality for these individuals.
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