UK FITNESS SCENE
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Gym shorts Hormone booster INACTIVE people could be encouraged to go to the gym if levels of a certain hormone were increased, according to new research. Very overweight mice doubled their amount of physical activity when the hormone Leptin was ‘switched on’ in their brain in tests at Harvard Medical School in America. They also began eating about 30 per cent fewer calories and lost some weight. The mice had become morbidly obese and severely diabetic, as well as very sluggish, after being bred to lack Leptin or the ability to respond to it. Researchers say the findings may lead to the development of drugs that increase obese people’s desire to exercise.
Councillors under fire
COUNCILLORS in Barnsley have come under fire for working out at a private gym instead of the council-owned leisure centre. The Mayor is among those who exercise at DW Sports, instead of the Metrodome, which is managed by Barnsley Premier Leisure on behalf of the council. Both gyms offer discount to members and employees of the council. A councillor said: “It’s like someone working for the Halifax then having their account at Barclays.”
Sweat in the City ready to hit the capital again By Christina Eccles THE success of a pilot project to get more young women in London active has led to plans for a repeat programme in the capital. Over 2,000 women aged 16 to 24 took part in Sweat in the City – a three month long, government funded programme giving them free gym membership and support from a dedicated mentor. 110 FIA gyms opened their doors, hoping participants would sign up afterwards as members – and according to FIA chief executive Andree Deane – feedback has been positive. The results of the project – a partnership between the FIA and the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation – showed 70 per cent of the women went to the gym at least once a week during the programme and 30 per cent went three times or more. Before they started, five per cent admitted to enjoying exercise which went up to 30 per cent and 90 per cent pledged to stay active once the programme had finished. Andree said: “This has allowed gyms to get new members from an area they perhaps wouldn’t have
Celebrity ambassador Jessica Taylor with some of the Sweat in the City members. ordinarily attracted. “Private gyms did particularly well. Anecdotally, a lot of girls said they didn’t want to use their local leisure centre because they used to go there with school. This is really interesting as it tells us a lot about how young girls are affected by the experience of PE at school.” Andree added reasons why it was successful included the free element – which removed the barrier of cost preventing exercising. The online community also helped participants support each other. She added: “The blogs have had some fantastic stories and a lot of the women exercised with friends so are more likely to keep it up. The
website, blog and text messaging created a community. “We have been asked to roll it out again with the same title so clearly the branding has attracted that age group. “These results have shown you can change attitudes and behaviour in as short a time as three months. We were also very pleased with the number of health clubs that participated. We don’t know yet how many of them joined the gym they exercised in but if it is a good conversion rate we are more likely to be able to run the programme again.” It is hoped the scheme will eventually be rolled out nationwide.