Better Health “Moving” Across the Country

My name is Morgan Barfield. I'm a 22 year old exercise science major and public health minor at UNC Charlotte. I have always been interested in exercise since I was a child- until I developed RSD at age 16. The development of this rare nerve disease lead me to my interest in the medical aspect of exercise. This blog is dedicated to learning about how the world has changed since 2000 in the area of marketing/advertising physical activity and exercise to the public.

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In 2014, there is advertisement for exercise in many different forms, such as, TV, radio, billboards, magazines, stores, etc. This was not the case in the year 2000 when ads of this nature were just beginning to arise in the public and by most not really seen as any concern. Exercise type companies, like Nike, have expanded tremendously over the past 14 years due to the increase in knowledge of the obesity crisis. 

[scottalanreiss]

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The lifestyle difference between 2000 and 2014

Luckily there is more advertisement pushing healthier lifestyles now than there was then,

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An advertisement for exercise directed straightly to children in the 2014 era.

[piehater]

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The lifestyles exercise and nutrition advertisement are having to combat in 2014.

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#5 The Difference in Advertisement of Exercise in 2000 Verse 2014

Has exercise advertisement really changed that much in fourteen years?

At the beginning of the new millennium, the big concern was the rising technology of computers verse now in 2014 the obesity crisis.  In 2000, you might be able to find a few advertisements for exercise; however, it was just being realized that obesity rates had doubled from 1980 to 2000.  As more and more studies and surveys were taken, the public slowly started to learn about the crisis through an increase in advertisements for exercise and healthy diets.  Back in 2000, the ads that were out were not very well address and most people had a tendency to ignore them, unlike in 2014 when you can barely go a day without seeing an exercise/healthy lifestyle advertisement and many companies are changing to incorporate exercise into their employees daily life. 

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Sad, but true

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Motivating Kids to Exercise

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#4 Advertisement of Exercise to Kids

Everyday kids are exposed to millions of advertisements, but how many of them are really promoting a healthy lifestyle such as exercise? 

Children are constantly seeing advertisement that makes exercise seem more and more of a "chore" rather than a necessity of life.  This is a crucial problem that needs to be reversed now, as this is when the body is still developing and needs to be healthy.  Studies have also shown that children who are overweight are much less likely to maintain a healthy weight as an adult. With that being said, advertisement to children is mainly "junk food."  This is being done by putting food at the eye level of a child on the shelves in bright color boxes, with catchy theme slogans, etc.  Instead of these types of foods being advertised non-stop to kids, we need to advertise healthy lifestyles. There are also rarely any advertisements towards children about exercise, which lead children to believe whatever negativity they hear or see about exercising. 

On the other hand, our country has come a long way in the past years with programs such as Play360. This has been very helpful to get children a little more active; however, programs like this should be much more advertised, so that kids are encouraged to go outside and get exercise. 

In my opinion, Kevin Carroll says it best, "A ball can save a life"

[mbarfie2]

#3 Advertisement in the Workplace of Exercise / Marketing of Insurance Companies

Insurance has been the big topic lately with the new affordable healthcare act being put into place, and with this big uproar about insurance I wonder how has it changed the workplace? For many large companies it has been more and more advertised that employees receive better benefits/discounts/rewards for exercising. This is huge for the Exercise Science industry, but why are employers of major companies pushing exercise in the workplace? This might be due to cheaper premiums employers are having to pay for health insurance if their employees are exercising.  This is due to the proven facts that exercise is a major player in one's health.  This in turn means that insurance companies will not have to pay for as many doctor bills. Along with employers not having as steep of insurance premiums, their employees will be healthier which means less sick days taken, so overall more production by employees. 

[fitlifenick]

[babypandagames]

There is an old saying - .. “Health is Wealth” The most important step to this wealth is to get to get a health insurance for you and your family, but sometimes the premiums of such policies are able to let you in and out of the budgetary situation. Can you really do something to...

[andwalkuponthebeach-blog]

I hate exercising...

but I went to the gym, because my next job will literally pay me to be fit.

:D

[mbarfie2]

#2 Marketing of Different Exercise Products

Everywhere you turn your head your always seeing and hearing about new exercise products, but if your the average person who doesn't know much about working out, you just find yourself confused.  I've even had this happen to myself numerous times and it normally ends with me just walking away from the complicated machine or ignoring the ad thinking "what exercise products really do work and what would actually work for me?" 

One day you see an ad for a new type of treadstepper/climber/etc and the next day it is a new type of supplement. This day in time, there are so many products on the market it is nearly impossible to know what really is useful, what is harmful, and what is just a plain waste of money. 

I strongly believe that the weight loss industry needs to be regulated much closer, especially that supplements need to be regulated by the FDA as any other medications would be. Along with this regulation by the FDA, it would help to control false advertisement for different exercise products. This would leave only exercise products that are helpful up for marketing to the public, making much less confusion. Until then, my best rule of thumb is, if it sounds to good to be true, it takes short cuts, and you don't have to change your lifestyle then it probably isn't true. 

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[mbarfie2]

Sometimes you just see a piece of exercise equipment and think how in the world do I use this this machine?