TREND WATCH

BY ELLEN O'SULLIVAN, Ph.D., CLP

FITNESS FACTS

According to a recent survey by Psychology Today:

•15% of women and 11% of men would sacrifice more than five years of their life to be at their ideal weight

•Among young women ages 13 to 19, 62% indicate they are dissatisfied with their weight and that percentage jumps to 67% for women over age 30

•Approximately 50% of women and 30% of men indicate they use cigarettes as a means to control weight

A Lou Harris and Associates poll conducted for the Life Sciences Institute found the following:

• Only 22% of American children are physically active for 30 minutes every day

•Children in grades 4 to 12 said they didn't have enough time to get physically active

•Parents indicate that their children aren't interested in the activities available to them and spend too much time watching TV; on the computer or playing video games

•34% of children attend physical education classes daily while 23% have no phy. ed. classes at all

A study in The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that nearly 100 million Americans suffer from one or more chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and arthritis. Expenditures associated with such conditions account for approximately three-fourths of healthcare spending in the United States. Researchers estimate that by 2030 chronic diseases will affect 148 million Americans at a cost of $798 billion.

The Association of Hospital Health and Fitness in Evanston, Ill., counts nearly 350 medically based fitness and wellness centers in the United States. A recent survey found that such facilities serve more than 582,000 members who pay $290 million annually in membership dues. The study also indicated that medical fitness centers differ significantly from their commercial counterparts in membership composition, attrition rates, pricing, services and programs. Health-related fitness centers experience an attrition rate of 24% lower than those reported by commercial clubs.

A Harris poll conducted for Ortho Dermatological found that three in four adults ages 30 to 50 think they look younger than other people their age; a statistical impossibility. Sixty-nine percent of men and 84% of women believe they look younger than their peers.

In a study of women ages 40 to 55 funded by the National Institute for Aging it was reported that 20 percent have trouble climbing stairs, carrying groceries and even dressing or bathing themselves, and that 55% reported suffering from stiffness or soreness in their joints, neck or shoulders.

C. Everett Koops Shape Up America! Organization found that 78% of obese and overweight adults had given up on diets as a means for reducing their weight.

FITNESS ERAS:
PAST, PRESENT & EMERGING

American society has gone through a number of "eras" related to exercise, fitness and recreation. Maybe you remember some of them:

Exercise To Look Good Era — The period when people, primarily women, pursued calisthenics and spot exercises motivated to enhance physical appearance.

Fitness First Era — The years when people were heavily involved in jogging, aerobics and other intensive types of physical exercise for increased levels of conditioning.

Pump It Up Era —Time period marked by a growing interest in weight lifting, primarily among younger adults who desired big muscles and an attractive physical appearance.

Get Active Era — Current phase in which adults, particularly older adults, take to the highways and byways to walk, bike, hike as well as pursue other forms of physical activity, such as working out with weights or increasing flexibility, primarily motivated to improve health.

Wellness Era —The emerging phase in which people incorporate all aspects of well-being into activities that fit the pace and demands of their

34 / Illinois Parks and Recreation

THE PUMP IT UP ERA BIDS "AULD LANG SYNE"

lives and their individualized needs; this period can include aspects of aerobics, weight lifting and physical activity as well as non-exercise aspects of well-being .

FITNESS TRENDS TO WATCH

This shift to a more leisurely, balanced, holistic approach to fitness, health and wellness will result in:

•Less emphasis on "killer" aerobic workouts, as even Dr. Kenneth Cooper (whose bestseller Aerobics kicked off the exercise explosion) has changed his mind about such high intensity.

• East meets West as heightened interest in alternative therapeutic practices and movement activities result in the popularity of such options as yoga, tai chi, meditation and massage.

• Exercise and physical activity will not only slow down, but they will quiet down as well as overworked and overstressed Americans seek ways to quiet both their minds and their bodies.

• From outer to inner emphasis as maturing baby boomers challenged by the physical results of aging will shift the focus from big muscles and pretty bodies to an inner sense of well-being.

• From social clubs to support systems as fitness club members look to their facility to help them to succeed in their fitness and wellness pursuits resulting in the popularity of such services as personal trainers and weight loss support groups.

• A blending of the physical aspects of fitness and health with more holistic services that can include stress reduction, reflexology, aromatherapy, nutritional counseling, herb and vitamins, relationship classes and guided imagery.

• Increasing numbers of people who decide just to "give up" on fitness and wellness entirely because as they become confused by mixed research messages and frustrated by lack of tangible progress.

NEW YEAR CHECKUP

The beginning of another new year is the opportune time for departments or districts to conduct their own annual checkup. At your next meeting, ask staff questions that determine the fitness of your agency, such as:

• What changes (and how many) have we made in the last year?

• What behavior changes we have observed related to the people we serve and how will we respond?

• What new programs, services, projects or technologies do we have planned for implementation in the coming year?

Happy New Year!

ELLEN O'SULLIVAN, Ph.D. CLP
is the president of leisure lifestyle Consulting of Glaslonbury, Conn., specializing in support for the service industry in reaching and retaining customers through leisure experiences and lifeslyle connections, ellenosull@aol.com.

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