Free public exercise may be a good incentive to stay active
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Convenience is a huge factor in starting and maintaining an exercise program. Most people, for example, choose gyms that are close to their home, school or office to avoid a major schlep.
Add free exercises classes taught by fitness professionals in a public setting to the mix and it would be even better, and might just compel people to be more active.
It seems to be working for residents of Recife, the fifth largest city in Brazil, where city officials have set up free calesthenic and dance classes in 21 public places. The Academia da Cidade program has been going on since 2002, enrolling more than 10,000 residents a year. Researchers who interviewed some of the locals found that participating in the program had a positive influence on their levels of exercise.
Phone surveys were conducted among 2,046 residents of Recife, who were asked about their leisure-time physical activity and whether they walked or biked to places. Researchers found that those who had taken part in the program were twice as likely to engage in moderate to high levels of leisure-time activity than those who had never participated. Those currently enrolled in classes were 11 times more likely. Even those who had heard about the program or seen a class had greater rates of moderate to high levels of activity. The study appears in the January issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
In the study, researchers wrote, ‘Evaluation and dissemination of local programs such as ACP in Recife can inform physical activity public health efforts both nationally and globally. If other cities and states in Brazil and even other countries are to effectively adopt programs such as ACP, they should consider the needs of local communities.’
It might not be a bad idea to try this in the U.S., but anyone who has that notion might want to steer clear of Santa Monica, where local police are cracking down on people who exercise on the medians.
-- Jeannine Stein