Are Baby Boomers Exercising Enough To Off-Set Effects Of Sedentary Lifestyles?

Baby Bommers, Retirement and Health

Could Baby Boomers Be Approaching Retirement in Worse Shape Than Their Predecessors?

That's a question raised by the findings of research recently published in print and online by the nonprofit National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), and it was the subject of a recent article in the Washington Post.

"The data emerging from this study are another wake-up call to the damage that physical inactivity is wreaking on our health," says Joe Moore, President and Chief Executive Officer of the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). "Baby Boomers may be the first generation to feel the long-term impact of the sedentary lifestyles that we've seen develop in this country over the last 20 years. If we are to turn this trend around, we will need to create a culturally supportive environment for regular exercise."

The Good News

We're making progress. Health club membership in the United States increased by more than three percent last year, from 41.3 million members (over the age of six) in 2005 to 42.7 million in 2006, while the total number of Americans who visited or belonged to a health club increased by more than six percent from 64.9 million people (over the age of six) in 2005 to 69.3 million in 2006. And more and more health clubs have programs, facilities, and equipment geared specifically toward an aging population.

Here's what IHRSA and the health and fitness industry are doing to address the problem:

Get Active America! Started four years ago, this program seeks to make it easier for Americans of all ages to become physically active and build regular exercise into their daily routines. A wide variety of health clubs nationwide will offer health-focused programs this May and open their doors for free for several days. As part of its 2007 program, participating member health clubs and the HHS Office on Women's Health (OWH) will kick off the WOMAN Challenge "an eight-week physical fitness challenge that encourages women to get 10,000 steps or 30 minutes of exercise each day.

The Workforce Health Improvement Program (WHIP) Act (H.R.1748, S.1038): IHRSA and the health and fitness industry support this federal legislation that seeks to combat chronic disease and obesity caused by inactivity by allowing for the balanced tax treatment of fitness center memberships as an employee benefit. Promoting fitness in the workplace - where we spend so much of our time - is a critical component in combating the problem of physical inactivity. (See more information on this legislation below).

The Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Bill (H.R. 245): IHRSA and the health and fitness industry support this recently introduced legislation that takes a giant step toward a healthier America. This bill would allow for exercise and physical fitness programs and certain exercise equipment to be paid for out of pre-tax dollars by including them in tax deferred medical savings vehicles "such as flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings accounts (HSA). IHRSA believes that PHIT will help provide the level of support many Americans - and baby boomers - need to be able to adopt healthier lifestyles and become more physically active.