Wall posts, and pokes, and status updates – Oh my!

By now, if you’re not already a member, you’ve all at least heard about the global phenomenon that is Facebook. With over 200 million active members, it is now the 4th highest trafficked web property worldwide behind Yahoo!, Google, and Live.com (according to Compete.com).

Founded over five years ago at Harvard University, Facebook has proven it’s here to stay, as it’s is a staple in people’s everyday lives to quickly and efficiently stay in touch with friends, family, and co-workers.

In short, it is a social networking website community that enables people to connect with other people and share information, pictures, videos, etc. You can send messages, join causes and groups, and become a fan of ketchup, Bruce Springsteen, or even IHRSA.

Last week, IHRSA launched a Facebook page and group for the Campaign for a Healthier America, our newest grassroots advocacy initiative to bring together exercise enthusiasts to make healthy lifestyles a priority for all Americans and help pass the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) and Workforce Health Improvement Program (WHIP) Act – http://www.campaign4health.org.

Become a fan of the Campaign for a Healthier America page on Facebook. It provides a community to view videos, pictures, and any updates that people contribute from the Virtual March on Washington (the Campaign’s digital messages to Congress to support the passage of PHIT and WHIP). Watch the videos and see why exercise is important to other people, than tell us your story.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Campaign-for-a-Healthier-America/85844830406



You can also join the new Facebook group, “I want to live a long and healthy life (and save money while doing it)” to find out how you can save money on health club memberships, your kids’ sports league fees, and some exercise equipment with pre-tax dollars if the PHIT Act is passed. Find out how you can be a part of the cure for a healthier America: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=148406825183


Not a Facebook member? You can write an e-mail by clicking here to exercise your rights.


Cheers,
Kara Thomspon

It's never too late to Start! (exercising)

Last week, a team of IHRSA staff members attended the American Heart Association's National Start! Walking Day Rally in Boston. The event was a part of Start!, the AHA's campaign to educate Americans about the benefits of walking and to motivate people to be more active every day. The event was also sponsored by Fitcorp, an IHRSA member.

The rally included speeches by local celebrities, success stories of people who have begun to exercise and lost weight or learned to manage chronic disease. Several local organizations were awarded the title of AHA Fit Friendly Company, which is a designation received by organizations who promote wellness amongst their staff. IHRSA was amongst the companies recognized for their healthy work environment and efforts to keep their employees fit. The event ended with a walk across Boston.

The Start! campaign is a powerful example of a successful national health promotion campaign. In only 3 years, Start! has hosted over 450 corporate events nationwide, including the Boston Heart Walk last fall, which several IHRSA staff volunteered at. AHA Heart Walks bring together different types of organizations, including health clubs (Sports Club LA, an IHRSA member, was there last year). Start! also has over 3,000 companies participating in the Start! Walking Program (IHRSA is one) and over 52,000 consumers are registered on the Start! online community, which features a walking tracking tool, food diary and social networking features, allowing people to find 'sole mates' - or workout partners.

IHRSA is currently preparing for our own national health promotion campaign, called Get Active America!. This program helps IHRSA clubs to reach out to their local communities and welcome new guests. Participating clubs host events and programs showcasing their staff, equipment and amenities. The program has two parts: Bring a Friend, where members invite a guest (May 11-14) and Open House, where the club is open to the public (May 15-17). This program has been successful at increasing foot traffic, membership and helping clubs receive media attention.

We at IHRSA believe that one of the best things you can do for your club is to increase your visibility in the community and participate in programs such as Start! and Get Active America!. Not only do these programs show your current members and community that you care about their health, but they also help your club attract more prospective members.

To learn more about IHRSA's 6th annual Get Active America! program or to enroll, please visit www.ihrsa.org/getactiveamerica

To join the online Start! community, visit mystartonline.org

To learn more about IHRSA Health Promotion efforts, visit www.ihrsa.org/wellnessresourcecenter and never hesitate to email me at kh@ihrsa.org


Sincerely,

Katie Horne
Health Promotions Program Coordinator

Industry Numbers- What Do They Mean?

Yesterday, IHRSA released 2008 research figures for the health club industry, with revenue, total club numbers, and membership numbers announced via press release. Industry revenues reached $19.1 billion in 2008, an increase of three percent over 2007. The number of health clubs increased by one percent in 2008, totaling 30,022 facilities in the United States. Membership decreased from 2007 to 2008 by 2.4 percent, with a survey margin of error of 4% making the decrease in membership statistically insignificant. Non-dues revenues increased by four percent over 2007.

What do these numbers mean? Current members continue to be believers in their clubs, as they are still spending money on services that are essential to their health. IHRSA data has indicated members are using their clubs even more, as they are not willing to give up their memberships in tough times. They need their club MORE, as exercise de-stresses, and makes for more productive and happier employees. Successful clubs continue to function and operate at high levels, as it is much harder to gain a new member than to retain a happy one!


The opportunity for 2009 is great, as an approximate 85% of the U.S. population do not currently belong to a health club. It is both our challenge and opportunity to impact next year's membership numbers for the better, as the rates of overweight and obesity continue to climb and as a result, preventable diseases become a reality for many. This year, all fitness enthusiasts need to continue their work as educators, reminding their friends, family and coworkers that exercise is critical to their health. We need to tell our legislators that we need greater accessibility to exercise, health clubs and fitness equipment. Prevention as a staple to health care reform is on the horizon, but our work must continue in order for real change to occur. Have you made your mark yet on 2009? Now is an opportune time.

Rosemary Lavery

Campaign for a Healthier America Advocate Spotlight

This week, the Campaign for a Healthier America spotlight is on our new friend and advocate for healthy lifestyles, Michael Field. He is the owner of Gold's Gym in Providence, Rhode Island. This is a great club! Not only have fitness professionals from this club attended our Summit for a Healthier America in DC, but they are a sponsor and event host for Shape Up RI.

According to the Shape Up RI website, "Shape Up RI is a statewide exercise and weight loss challenge founded by Brown Medical School student Rajiv Kumar on the belief that the solution to healthy living lies in the power of teamwork and peer support. This annual health campaign encourages Rhode Islanders to pursue healthy lifestyles through increased physical activity and better nutrition."

IHRSA is proud to Michael and Gold's Gym Providence as part of our family of fitness professionals who work hard every day to make America healthier!

IOM Top 20

My virtual lunch companions for the day were the dutiful members of the HHS Secretary’s Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020, who held a high noon Webinar to update the world on their progress toward creating objectives for Healthy People 2020.

Today's meeting alerted me to the coming launch of StateOfTheUSA.org, which promises to "assemble high-quality measures and data that can be used to assess the progress of the United States." As part of its pre-launch activities (the site is up and running, but not fully functioning), State of the USA teamed up with the Institute of Medicine to release a list of the top 20 key measures that "reflect the overall health of the nation and the effectiveness of U.S. health systems."

I was thrilled to see that "physical activity" has made the cut.

The highlight of the report summary:

"Regular physical activity is an important contributor to health, and yet fewer than 50 percent of people in the U.S. report engaging in moderate physical activity," the committee said. It's proposed measure: the percentage of adults meeting the recommendation for moderate physical activity – at least five days a week for 30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity activity or at least three days a week for 20 minutes a day of vigorous-intensity activity."

Let's make sure that our legislators are reminded of this report during health care reform negotiations.

The press release, and link to the full report, are here.

Tom Richards

Campaign for a Healthier America Advocate Spotlight

Last week in San Francisco at the IHRSA Convention and Trade Show, attendees participated in the Virtual March on Washington, a national grassroots project of the IHRSA Campaign for a Healthier America. There were dozens of advocates that recorded videos for Congress and President Obama. Over the coming weeks, we’re going to spotlight our favorites here on the Movement for a Healthier America blog.

Take a few minutes and watch Tanya Barham, CEO of Recess Wellness in Portland, Oregon.

IHRSA Invited by HHS to Speak to Physical Activity Guidelines Supporter Network

On March 19, IHRSA was one of the five featured speakers invited by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to speak at its Physical Activity Guidelines Supporter Network Webinar. Amy Bantham, Deputy Vice President of Government Relations, addressed her remarks to over 100 organizations. IHRSA has been recognized by HHS and the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports for our outreach efforts to promote and disseminate the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans to fitness professionals and consumers. Bantham presented IHRSA’s plans for promote the 2009 President’s Challenge, based on this successful and well-received model.

To see IHRSA’s work promoting the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, visit www.ihrsa.org/paguidelines.

Campaign for a Healthier America

The Campaign for a Healthier America is a national grassroots project bringing together exercise enthusiasts to make healthy lifestyles a priority for all Americans.

The Campaign seeks to bring the fitness industry together with government, employers, medical and public health professionals, insurance providers, schools, and each of us individually.

We must work as one to create a culture and environment of wellness. To achieve this, we will:
- Encourage regular exercise and healthy eating for people of all ages and physical conditions
- Engage Americans in grassroots efforts to make their communities healthier
- Ask policymakers to encourage exercise by creating tax incentives and removing financial barriers

Learn more about the Campaign for a Healthier America and how you can join the movement by visiting, campaign4health.org.

Spring in DC

It's a sunny day in Boston and I've started thinking about the fast-approaching Summit for a Healthier America. Every Spring, for the last six years we have traveled to Washington for our largest annual Grassroots Initiative event. As the weather warms and we head into Convention, things start picking up for our advocacy.

This year we have a new spin on things. The name has changed from the Legislative Summit to the Summit for a Healthier America. It is also now part of our Campaign for a Healthier America, which will launch at the IHRSA 2009 Convention on Monday. Keep reading for more.

Spring and Change are in the air. Check out some photos from last year's event.



Created with flickr slideshow.

- Breanne McGahey

VICTORY! New York Health Club Dues Tax Defeated

New York Governor David Paterson announced just hours ago that he has come to an agreement with legislative leaders to not extend the sales tax to health club membership dues and services. This is a major victory for healthy lifestyles in New York and the health club industry.

Over the last nine weeks, 2,441 fitness professionals and health club members wrote 7,902 messages to legislators in Albany. Many fitness professionals and club companies met personally with legislators to discuss the impact that the tax would have on their members and their businesses. The voices of our advocates for healthy lifestyles were heard loud and clear in Albany!

“This is an incredible victory, especially considering the massive deficit facing New York,“ said Joe Moore, IHRSA President and CEO. “It is a testament to the power of working together. With IHRSA collaborating with concerned fitness professionals, our lobbyist, and the people of New York, we were able to highlight the inconsistent messaging of an "obesity" tax on sodas and a "healthy lifestyle tax" on preventative exercise, and stop this proposal in its tracks.”

Paterson came to an agreement with Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to eliminate $1.3 billion in tax increases included in the proposed 2009-10 Executive Budget. In addition to health club dues and services, clothing under $110, sugared drinks, digital downloads, cable and satellite television, manufacturers’ coupons, haircuts, manicures, concerts, movies, live theatre, bowling, golf, skiing and others were eliminated.

“The proposed tax increases we are eliminating today were only put forward as a last resort when the deficit ballooned to an unprecedented level,” said Paterson in a statement. “Now that enhanced federal funding is available, our highest priority must be to provide targeted relief to those who need it most during this economic crisis – average New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet.”

-Breanne McGahey

Obama's health principles, translated

Over the last two years there has been a very clear growth in the attention paid to prevention and wellness as part of health care reform. Now that the Obama Administration and Congress have set their sights on the passage of a bill in 2009, it seems that every day there is another news article or video clip of someone who will play a role in this important reform making a clear pitch for prevention and wellness.

Here is a great story on Politico. Obama's health principles, translated. In the budget that the Adminsitration sent to Congress last month, they outlined 8 principles for health care reform. Politico translates the carefully crafted policy statements into something a little more, umm... "straightforward."

Check out #6:
"6. Invest in prevention and wellness. The plan must invest in public health measures proven to reduce cost drivers in our system — such as obesity, sedentary lifestyles and smoking — as well as guarantee access to proven preventive treatments.

Translation: Get in shape — and get used to hearing a lot more about “individual responsibility.” Quit smoking. Exercise. Eat better. And, to encourage a healthier diet, perhaps a fast food tax? Well, maybe not. Americans value their personal choice and wallets too much. Look for Democrats and Republicans to talk a lot about preventing chronic diseases."

Sounds like they are making a perfect case for the WHIP and PHIT Acts.

-Bre McGahey

Dr. Eugenia "Jeanne" Calle

Without the benefit of research provided by brilliant scientists, fitness advocates would be left to rely on the appropriate, yet inadequate phrase "trust me" to convince others of the benefits of exercise. Tragically, the world lost one of those scientists last week. Dr. Eugenia "Jeanne" Calle, who conducted landmark research on the link between cancer and obesity, is remembered here.

An Exercise Stimulus Plan

When the details of an economic stimulus plan are eventually agreed upon, Congress will likely make available millions of dollars to tax payers, but will do so with designs on how that money will be used once it reaches our wallets. Both current Senate and House packages include a substantial income tax credit with the idea that it will prompt retail sales. A tax credit for home purchases will be made available to revive the housing market.

This idea is not new or rare. Governments understand that tax policy has a unique power to influence behavior. However, while all lawmakers seem to understand this power, they struggle to always implement it in useful ways.

Bre McGahey’s post about New York Governor Paterson’s budget proposal ("Paterson’s State of the State Hypocrisy") highlights his recognition that taxing a behavior will discourage it. Unfortunately, as the post poignantly brings to light, the Governor’s budget discourages healthy lifestyles by imposing New York’s sales tax on health club dues.

With a nationwide obesity crisis, it is difficult to understand why New York is not alone in its attempt to tax health club memberships. Will the revenue gained from 5 or 6 percent of gym dues cover the costs of health care for type-2 diabetes? Heart disease? Cancer? A single one of the many other diseases associated with obesity?

It’s time to apply a more beneficial carrot-and-stick approach to health care. Some lawmakers have done this by introducing legislation that would offer a tax credit for engaging in a more active lifestyle. As of today, eight state legislatures are considering proposals that would offer a financial incentive for trying to get in shape. Tom Richards has posted on this page about WHIP and PHIT, two federal pieces of legislation that would encourage exercise through tax policy

I hope that more lawmakers, in Washington and in the 50 state legislatures, decide to use their most effective means to encourage physical activity. I can think of no better use of taxpayer money than having it re-invested in America’s health.

-Tim Sullivan

Joining Forces for Fitness

The political power of an association is derived from representing a vast collection of constituents. IHRSA, for example, speaks on behalf of its 6000 U.S. members (and the many thousand employees of those members) when weighing in on federal legislative initiatives. I believe it is a position of strength, made stronger by the legendary passion of fitness professionals.

I imagine the United States Professional Tennis Association feels similarly about its position as a representative for its 15000 members.

As was announced in this press release, IHRSA has joined forces with the USPTA to harmonize our collective voices and urge Congress to embrace the health benefits of physical activity. Together, i think we make an extremely compelling case. In particular, the USPTA's "Tennis - for the Health of It" campaign fits seemlessly with IHRSA's "Vision for a Healthier America."

I am thrilled with this partnership and hope that it becomes a blueprint for other advocacy relationships. It's the type of focused, mutually respectful relationship that can work at all levels of government advocacy. I hope that clubs interested in affecting change at any level - from town hall to the white house - will consider strengthening their position by joining with other passionate fitness professionals.

- Tom Richards

Power of the Press

Media members can and do play a significant role in influencing public opinion. They have the unique position of reaching into the homes of millions of people daily, informing and updating mass audiences with news that can become the basis for decision-making and action taken. Perhaps the most important role media can play is as an educator and advocate for positive causes. Recently, the editor-in-chief of Men's Fitness Magazine wrote a "Dear Obama" letter that does just this.

As someone who interacts with media members on a daily basis, I can assure you that they are indeed willing to be advocates. If your club launches new programming, get in touch with your local media. Let them know if you are promoting HHS's Physical Activity Guidelines. Educate them on the WHIP and PHIT Acts - they will listen.

-Rosemary Lavery