In a previous post, I discussed the very high cost to our healthcare system of many largely preventable chronic diseases and the need for a preventive medicine infrastructure to promote health habits (see: The Need for a Preventive Medicine Infrastructure in the U.S.). I was intrigued to come across an article discussing a successful free exercise and nutrition program that has been launched in Brazil (see: Free exercise and nutrition program in Brazil could serve as model in United States). Below is an excerpt from the article with boldface emphasis mine:
What if free exercise classes were offered in public spaces such as parks, beaches and recreation centers? When a city government in Brazil tried such a program, it greatly increased physical activity among community members. A group of health researchers who studied the program believes it could also work in U.S. cities with warm climates....In Recife, the fifth largest city in Brazil, an initiative developed and managed by the city encourages physical activity in 21 public spaces. Physical education instructors teach free calisthenic and dance classes, lead walking groups and provide nutrition information. These activities are offered free of charge each day from 5 - 9 a.m. and from 5 - 9 p.m. Since 2002, the program, called the Academia de Cidade program..., has enrolled more than 10,000 residents per year and taught 888,000 exercise classes. In the study of the program, researchers found that current and past participants were three times as likely to exercise than residents who had never participated. The findings are published in the January 2009 issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
In my previous note, I was pessimistic about any expectation that hospitals executives or most physicians would lobby for preventive medicine programs in the U.S. because they were not revenue-generating. I understand now that I may have been looking for a solution in the wrong place. How about encouraging city governments and their parks and recreation departments to sponsor free calisthenic and dance programs similar to the program in Brazil. Ideally, they could be held in public parks as in Recife. Such parks could be a year-round venue for these activities in our temperate cities. However, there is no reason that they could not be held in, say, school gymnasiums during the winter months in northern cities.
I know that city budgets are being stretched thin during these lean times, but I suspect that pubic health programs such as the ones described above would cost very little, particularly if held in public spaces. I also suspect that one could even solicit the services of volunteer instructors for the programs, particularly among retired persons who are qualified to act in such a capacity. Older instructors would also serve as suitable role models for participants. The take-home message here is that our city governments should get more involved in preventive healthcare activities.
Sounds good, but in a highly litigious environment, most of the "costs" would be by way of insuring the program against claims that someone slipped/injured an ankle/wounded their pride ;) etc
Joy Mammen
Posted by: Joy | January 19, 2009 at 01:35 PM