FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 23, 2001

GRANDPARENTS FITTER THAN GRANDCHILDREN?

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National Tracking Study Reveals Startling Role Reversal: Seniors over 55 Exercise More Frequently than Any Age Group — Especially Teenagers

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Vanishing Phys Ed Programs and Sedentary Distractions Fuel a Growing National Obesity Crisis Among Children

HARTSDALE, N.Y. -- Nearly 1 out of 4 health club members in the U.S. (23%) are now at least 55 years old. This growing army of 7.3 million older fitness enthusiasts that has mushroomed by 379% since 1987 -- four times as fast as the general health club population. These were among the findings of the 14th annual Superstudy® of Sports Participation, conducted in January 2001, by American Sports Data, Inc.

Counting all forms of exercise, including gym workouts, 26% of all seniors over the age of 55 participated in a single fitness activity on at least 100 occasions -- the highest incidence for any age group. This compares with 23% for the 35-54 age category, 20% for those 18-34 and only 18% of children aged 12-17 who were frequent fitness participants in the year 2000 -- "a dangerous decline from the rate of 31% measured in 1987," according to ASD president Harvey Lauer.

Historically, teenagers have been powerful calorie-burning machines who -- though blasé about weight control and fitness until they grew older and heavier -- naturally gravitated toward such youthful pursuits as baseball, skateboarding, basketball, volleyball and hiking. But even here -- despite the growing popularity of "extreme" sports and evidence of increased health club usage due to the growth of family memberships -- overall participation numbers for the 12-17 age group are in severe decline. "This", says Lauer, "represents not only a major assault on the sporting goods industry's bottom line, but is also a chilling omen for the future of public health in the U.S."

According to the Centers for Disease Control, daily participation in high school physical education classes has fallen dramatically -- from 42% in 1991 to 27% in 1997. More than 1 out of 5 adolescents in the U.S. are overweight; 14% are classified as obese. Both measurements have risen precipitously from CDC reports in the 1980's.

Explanations abound for the demise of teen activity. In addition to the disappearance of Physical Education, the usual suspects are Web surfing, e-mail, chat rooms, Nintendo, video games, CD's, MTV, piano lessons, SAT coaching, Girls Scouts and a host of other frenetic but sedentary distractions that fill the life of the "overscheduled" child at the turn of the Millennium. There may have been a seismic shift in the venue of youthful recreation from outdoors to indoors, but some things never change. The voracious time culprit -- according to a 1999 study by the Kaiser Foundation -- is still television, not the computer. Children aged 2-18 spend an average of 2 hours 46 minutes per day watching TV, compared with only 8 minutes on the Internet, and 20 minutes playing computer games. Kids spend an additional 21 minutes on the computer for 'fun.'

If present trends continue at both ends of the age spectrum, will this fitness paradox culminate in 60-year-olds outrunning 16-year-olds? The 55+ age group is the most fitness-conscious demographic in America -- but this doesn't imply that seniors exercise with an intensity equal to that of their children or grandchildren. Older people adopt fitness programs consonant with their capabilities: fitness walking, stationary cycling, stretching, treadmill exercise and hand weights are among the most popular. There are many exceptions, but potentially more strenuous activities such as running, high-impact aerobics or barbells are skewed much younger.

The willingness to exercise is far more important than the content or format of the activity. "The important thing", Lauer adds, "is that people do whatever their bodies will allow. That 26% of all seniors exercise frequently is even more amazing, when you consider that for reasons of infirmity, disability or very old age, a good number of older people may be incapable of physical activity."

Other ASD research has consistently demonstrated that most Americans are sold on the idea of fitness -- but this has only created a yawning chasm that separates positive attitudes from actual fitness behavior. "Not too many people argue with the wisdom of fitness", said Lauer. "Over 80% of the population endorses the concept of physical activity for better health, but only 20% gets nearly enough exercise."

Why have seniors, more than any other age group, been able to make the leap from this highly developed fitness-consciousness to actual fitness behavior? The most mundane explanation is that they simply have more time; but because this has always been true, it is the least compelling interpretation. A more cogent reason according to ASD, is that many were recruited during the early stages of the fitness boom, and are just graduating to the top age bracket. When compared with a generation ago, exercise is far more often mandated by a doctor, physical therapist or other medical health professional. And for many, preventive health concerns become more immediate with age, as the confrontation with one's mortality begins to inspire all manner of life-prolonging activity.

Beneath the loftier motivational analyses lie the simpler but perhaps not-so-obvious realities: in a striking parallel to the evolution of female fitness, vigorous activity in one's twilight years is now socially acceptable -- not embarrassing. But most important, seniors now believe they are capable of fitness participation -- thanks in part to an accommodating fitness industry.

Indeed, most of the recent growth in physical fitness has been of the "kinder and gentler" low-impact or no-impact variety, crediting its success to an influx of older converts. From 1998–2000, participation gains have been recorded in Recumbent Cycling (+32%); Yoga/Tai Chi (+30%); Hand Weights (+16%); Treadmill Exercise (+10%); from 1999–2000, Aquatic Exercise jumped by 15%. In a first-time-ever measurement, Pilates Training registered 1.7 million participants, 60% of whom were first-year entrants.

How can our fitness-challenged, if not "endangered," youngsters benefit from the wisdom of their elders? It's probably too much of a stretch to imagine they can, concludes Lauer. "The mature market has some compelling exercise incentives that are unique to that group. For kids, the bottom line is to raise the consciousness of educators, public officials and especially parents -- the influentials who can make the most difference in the lives of children."

The Superstudy® of Sports Participation was conducted in January 2001 and based on a nationally representative sample of 14,772 people over the age of 6, who were among 25,000 respondents targeted in a sample drawn from the consumer mail panel of NFO Research, Inc. 103 sports and activities were measured along over 20 demographic, attitudinal and behavioral dimensions. Data were also collected on health club membership and other subjects pertinent to physical fitness. This annual tracking study has been conducted by ASD every year since 1987, and sponsored by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association of North Palm Beach, Florida. For more information, call (914) 328-8877, or log on to www.americansportsdata.com.

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