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FITNESS
Fitness operator Fitness study gives
helps community
boost to UK gyms
school pupils get fit
Gymnasiums in the UK have been urged to take advantage of new
research which shows that fitness is more important than thinness in
Bow School in East London completion with a significant input retaining mobility, strength and balance in middle age.
has opened a new fitness into the right way to do things.” Middle-aged people who do half an hour’s vigorous activity three
facility for pupils in an under- The development involves the times a week are half as likely as the sedentary to suffer physical
utilised classroom. conversion of an old classroom of decline and impaired mobility as they get older.
The project, managed by approximately 80m-sq, with the “This is a great message for the fitness industry to try and put
Inspirit, the support company for new facility containing 11 pieces together programmes for the middle aged and get a new type of
fitness operators, was opened of Precor equipment along with customer in,” said Alan Davidson from Cannons Health Clubs.
by Head Teacher Beverley the FitLinxx technology to allow Research carried out on more than 10,000 people aged between
Dobson at the beginning of the pupils and staff to monitor fitness 50 and 69 for up to six years showed the benefit of exercise was
September term. progress from a personal fitness enjoyed -regardless of body mass index. All the groups roughly halved
The fitness room, consisting of and a educational ‘physiology’ their risks of physical decline by doing exercise - so that a fit obese
11 pieces of fitness kit, will help perspective. Andy Mack, person did as well, or better, than a thin, unfit one.
the school improve both Managing Director of Inspirit Dr Lang said: “This research shows that you get important benefits
curriculum based teaching and a comments, “This is a special from exercise even if it doesn’t help you lose weight.”
range of extended services now project for us because we’ve The research was carried out using data from two ongoing studies,
encouraged by the government been involved from our very first the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing and the US Health and
Department for Education. meeting with Dave Bursey the Retirement Study. Both are long-term studies of the changes that take
Matthew O’Shaughnessy, school bursar over 18 months place as middle-aged people move into old age.
Head of PE, said, “We’re ago. We’ve looked at every They conclude in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that
pleased that the pupils now have stage from feasibility, to design those who maintained a reasonable level of physical activity were
a modern and inspiring and build, to interior design and more likely to be able to walk distances, climb stairs, maintain their
environment in which to fit out.” sense of balance, stand from a seated position with their arms folded,
exercise. As an inner city school Inspirit operates three or sustain their hand grip as they got older.
appropriate indoor facilities are companies in England, Scotland As examples, 21.1% of English people of normal body mass index
crucial to ensuring children have and Ireland. The company was (20-24.9) became physically impaired over the course of the study if they
the opportunity to exercise and established in 1999 by Andy Mack did no exercise; only 12.4% of them did if they were active.
that’s why we feel this formerly Managing Director of Among the obese (BMI 30 or over), 31.6% of the English
development is so important. Fitness For Industry (FFI). The participants became physically impaired if they did no exercise, while
Inspirit have been instrumental in company currently has a turnover only 15.4 per cent of the active ones did.
the process; they’ve been great of over £4m.
value for money taking the Inspirit offer an unusually broad
project from inception to range of services that positions
Let’s Get Healthy
them as the complete solutions
provider for fitness operators in
finds mobile solution
sectors from education, to The launch of the first in a fleet of the health buses have been
private health clubs and public mobile health studios is helping designed by a team at Leeds
leisure centres. children in Yorkshire get fitter faster. Metropolitan University, led by
West Yorkshire firm Let’s Get Professor Jim McKenna.
Healthy aims to boost the fitness He said: “We are excited about
of the 88% of the population the massive potential of this
who don’t belong to gyms or programme and for us to
leisure centres. conduct research within it to
Let’s Get Healthy offers health show how to improve the well-
and lifestyle assessments, being and lives of young people.”
followed by goal-setting and Ed Balls, Secretary of State for
monitoring of progress to schools, Children and Families and MP
communities and firms. for Normanton, said: “Increasing
It was founded by former promotion of health and
Citibank UK CEO Maria Bourke, participation in activity forms a
who wants to show people that key part of our work to tackle
small changes can make a big obesity and opportunities for
difference to health. children and families to exercise
From wasted cupboard space to high class gym in a few easy steps The programmes being run on together are particularly useful.
14 UK LEISURE NEWS January / February 2008 www.ukleisurenews.co.uk
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