Inactive Market/Inspire the World to Fitness Articles

With a population of over 49 million people, who speak 11 official languages, South Africa is a country booming with growth and activity, especially as its weather and natural attributes contribute to a favorable outdoor culture. South Africans are excited and proud to be hosting the World Cup for football (soccer) this year, and can even be described as fanatical about rugby.

Where you live may actually contribute to your risk of someday developing type 2 diabetes, says a study published in the October 12, 2009, issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers conducted the first multisite prospective study to examine if residential environments that support more physical activity and healthier diets may contribute to a lower incidence of the disease.

Living near natural “green” areas seems to promote better health overall, particularly if you are a child or from a lower economic bracket, according to a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health (2009; 0, 1–7. doi: 10.1136/jech.2008.079038). Researchers from the Netherlands based their findings on a review of medical records of 345,143 Dutch people.

The Asian Academy for Sports and Fitness Professionals (AASFP) received two awards at the inaugural China Fitness Industry “Top Fitness Awards.” Presented by the China Sports Authorities, the awards recognize individuals and organizations that have improved China’s fitness industry. AASFP received China’s Fitness Industry Achievement of Excellence Award. The organization’s founder and president, Kenny Wong, was honored with the China’s Fitness Industry Most Influential Figures Award.

Obesity is a health challenge in the Netherlands, just as it is in other countries across the globe. Fifteen percent of adults cope with obesity and 1 in 6 children is obese, according to the Netherlands Instituut voor Sport en Bewegen (Netherlands Institute for Sport and Physical Activity, or NISB). The NISB advocates 30 minutes of activity a day, 5 days per week, but only 45%–60% of adults exercise that much. For children under 18 years, NISB advises 60 minutes of activity, 7 days per week, but only about one-third of Dutch children reach this health target.

It’s January, and clients everywhere are coming out of the woodwork looking for that magic bullet to get in shape. Armed with New Year’s resolutions and good intentions, what they really need are some simple, easy ways to improve their health in 2010. Here are 10 tips to pass along that really work:

As if Inspiring the World to Fitness® weren’t enough, here’s evidence that fitness professionals also inspire each other and are more like family members than coworkers. IDEA member Lori Pine, programs director at In Motion Fitness in Chico, California, was about to lose a co-worker—and friend—to lung cancer. Robert Athol Phippen was the oldest Schwinn certified cycling instructor and taught classes at In Motion Fitness.

Client: Kevin Personal Trainer: Bret Bondlow, owner of Compelling Fitness Location: Hanover, Massachusettes

Dance is a key word on group exercise schedules in Mexico, as dance-based fitness classes are heating up gyms everywhere. Latin rhythms, hip-hop, salsa and belly dancing are popular, according to Norma Zurita, a 23-year veteran of the fitness industry and group fitness coordinator of Sport City in Mexico City. Indoor cycling, circuit training, kickboxing, step and strength training classes are also well-liked. On the other hand, high-impact classes or those featuring complicated, advanced choreography get a thumbs-down.

When people think of Russia, some picture the frozen steppes of Siberia, while others see the onion domes of Red Square. But what about this country’s long tradition of placing a high value on sport and physical fitness? That aspect of Russian culture is just as ingrained.