Americans Urge Congressional Action to Address the Nation's Growing Obesity and Inactivity Epidemic.

Lifestyle Editors/Health/Medical Writers

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 11, 2004

More Than 60 Percent Of Americans Believe Congress Should Do More; Health Club Industry Issues a Call to Action to "Get Active America!"

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), obesity and inactivity will soon surpass smoking as the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. On a daily basis, the American public is bombarded with urgent messages about this growing public health epidemic and yet the majority of Americans are still not exercising. In an effort to understand why, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) recently commissioned a study to measure American's attitudes toward government and employer involvement in fighting the obesity and inactivity epidemic. The results clearly illustrate that the majority of Americans are ready for more involvement and support from both sectors.

While most Americans seem to understand the messages directed at them about the importance of physical activity and a healthy diet, the majority still do not take personal responsibility and act on these messages. To bridge this disconnect, IHRSA recommends additional incentives by government, employers and health insurers. The overwhelming majority of those surveyed indicate that they would support and be moved to action if there were more incentives available to them to exercise.

The study clearly supports a call to action:

-- 77 percent of Americans would be "very" or "somewhat" likely

to exercise if they paid a lower health insurance premium.

-- 70 percent of Americans believe that patients should be

reimbursed for physician prescribed fitness/exercise programs.

-- 82 percent of Americans claim they would exercise regularly if

their employer subsidized health club memberships.

-- 65 percent of Americans would be "very" or "somewhat" likely

to pay for a gym membership out of their salary before taxes

if their employers offered this benefit.

-- 66 percent of Americans believe that companies should be

allowed to deduct the expense of employer subsidized health

club memberships.

As providers of fitness and activity, the health club industry believes that it is ideally and uniquely positioned to help Americans to integrate regular physical activity into their lives and to serve as a major part of the solution to the obesity and overweight epidemic that currently threatens the public health of the U.S. The intensity of this belief will result in two major industry wellness initiatives this year - The Second Annual Legislative Summit, which will bring together more than 150 industry leaders on Capitol Hill to lobby for health promotion legislation, and Get Active America!, a weeklong program (May 17-23, 2004) to provide millions of Americans with free access to more than 1,600 health clubs nationwide.

The focus of the Legislative Summit (May 19-21, 2004) will be to garner further support from Members of Congress and encourage passage of the Workforce Health Improvement Program (WHIP), intended to help fight obesity and chronic diseases caused by inactivity by allowing for the favorable tax treatment of fitness center memberships as an employee benefit. The Act would help to relieve the pressure on a strained health care system and correct an inequity in the current tax code. The recent study verifies the level of support amongst Americans for this legislation with 4 out of 5 Americans stating they would exercise regularly if their employer subsidized their health club membership, and on a broader scale, 61 percent of Americans believe that Congress should do more to promote physical activity and prevent obesity.

"It's very clear," said John McCarthy, executive director of IHRSA, "that government, together with the private sector must work in unison to help curb the devastating personal and financial costs associated with obesity and inactivity in the U.S. According to Health and Human Services (HHS), 64 percent of American adults and 15 percent of children are obese or overweight. An obese person has a 50 to 100 percent increased risk of premature death, compared to people of normal weight. It is essential that the public and private sector find a solution to this alarming trend and help break down any barriers to fitness that may exist."

As part of the industry's ongoing effort to make fitness increasingly accessible to all, Get Active America!, will offer millions of Americans a "first step" opportunity to begin an exercise program designed specifically for their personal needs by health club industry professionals in a supportive, safe environment. The free, weeklong program will take place at more than 1,600 health clubs nationwide, May 17-23, 2004, beginning with a "bring a guest" program and building to a three-day "open house" event when participating clubs will open their doors to the general public.

The initiative is supported by major consumer health organizations, including the American Cancer Society (ACS). To help spread the word that what you eat and how active you are can impact your cancer risk, IHRSA has issued a nationwide challenge to its member health clubs to hold cancer awareness and prevention related events and fundraisers at their facilities during Get Active America! Week.

Additional information and complete survey results are available by contacting IHRSA at [phone].

About IHRSA

The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) is a nonprofit association dedicated to the growth, protection, and promotion of the health club industry, and represents more than 6,500 clubs worldwide. IHRSA is an international leader in health club industry education and research.