For some reason the gym industry is not hitting it’s target market. With gyms in practically every Australian suburb, and open 24 hours to cater to anybody’s schedule, surely the general population should be benefiting from the opportunity to become fit and healthy under the guidance of experts. Yet, according to research, the rate of obesity is growing so that more than two-thirds of Australians will be overweight by the year 2025. One third of Australians will develop Type-2 diabetes in their lifetime, indicating the health problem is based on nutritional issues as well as fitness issues.
Clearly a large section of the population needs professional support to regain their general health through fitness and nutrition. Yet they are not turning to the fitness industry for support and advice. As a health and fitness owner and qualified fitness professional myself, I am concerned that the people who need my help the most are not seeking my assistance. Why? What is the fitness industry doing wrong that we are not able to support the people most in need? And how can we change things around so we can help reverse this phenomenon of obesity and all its related health issues?
Ironically, while many people with weight-related health issues recognize that the gym is the right environment to fix their health problems, they struggle to overcome the idea that they don’t belong at the gym. As an industry we need to look at why we are failing our neediest potential customers and how we can tailor our services to help the general population increase general health and fitness.
Matthew Mazzaferro
Live Well Health & Fitness Studio
