The following information was provided by agencies and offices of the Department of Health and Human Services: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Center for Health Statistics, the Office of the Surgeon General of the United States (Physical Activity and Health, 1996; Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity, 2001) and the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (Healthy People 2010):
*37 percent of adults report they are not physically active. Only three in 10 adults get the recommended amount of physical activity.
* Poor diet and inactivity can lead to becoming overweight and obese. People who are overweight or obese are at increased risk for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, respiratory problems and some types of cancer.
* Obesity continues to climb among adults. Nearly 60 million Americans are obese. More than 108 million adults are either obese or overweight. That means roughly three out of five Americans carry an unhealthy amount of excess weight.
* The percentage of adults in the United States who were overweight or obese (body mass index greater than or equal to 25) in 1999-2002 was 65 percent. Obesity affects all ages, racial and ethnic groups, and genders. A new study conducted in the Netherlands found that excess weight cuts years off your life.
*16 percent of children and teens age 6 to 19 were overweight in 1999-2002—triple the proportion in 1980.
If these numbers are any indication, gyms and health clubs have much to do to promote their services, and wise distributors should hit the track fast. The following products can help gyms and health clubs jump start their advertising campaigns.
