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Exercise is Good for Your Health and Your Wallet, Evidence Shows
(ARA) – Budget-minded families are looking to cut expenses that seem like a luxury, or even just
frivolous -- including gym memberships. Yet mounting evidence suggests that cutting out the gym may be
exactly the wrong move for even the most cash-strapped family.
In its just-released report of annual health spending figures, published in the journal Health Affairs,
the federal government confirmed that chronic illness accounts for 75 percent of all health spending.
Yet exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight can significantly reduce your risks for
chronic illness and your medical bills.
“To put that in financial terms, for every dollar you spend on wellness, you can save as much as five
dollars or more on illness,” says Dr. Richard Kreider, director of the exercise and sport nutrition
laboratory at
Texas
A&M
University
. He has studied the effectiveness of the Curves women’s fitness program for the past five years.
“The women in our studies have been able to lose weight, gain muscle strength, raise metabolism, and
make significant medical improvements in blood pressure, resting heart rate and aerobic fitness,”
Kreider says. “Many of them no longer suffer from the chronic conditions that cost them so much money
for medications and doctor visits.”
This can add up to a bundle of savings. The Health Affairs report shows that the average annual
out-of-pocket expense for someone with cancer is $8,411, but the good news is that regular exercise can
help you avoid the disease and the costs associated with it. A major report by the American Institute
for Cancer Research published in 2007 found that obesity plays a key role in increasing the risk for
many cancers -- including breast cancer -- by as much as 60 percent. And a study just published in the
journal Cancer found that obesity increased women’s risk for ovarian cancer by a whopping 80
percent.
The benefits go beyond reducing the risk of cancer. A recent landmark study by Blue Cross Blue Shield
of Minnesota found that people who went to the gym at least eight times a month had significantly lower
healthcare costs than those who did not. These frequent gym attendees had:
* 39 percent fewer emergency room visits
* 41 percent fewer hospital admissions
* 18 percent lower overall claims costs
The research, then, is clear. “Exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight can save not only
your life, but your money as well,” says Kreider. “Your health is your most precious asset, and not
taking care of it is going to cost you more in the long run.”
So how can you get to the gym without breaking the bank? Many clubs are offering great deals on
memberships because of the economy. Also, check with your health insurance provider to see if they have
a wellness program that offers rebates on dues and membership fees. Some fitness centers, like Curves,
have partnered with major health insurance and third-party providers, including Healthways
SilverSneakers, AARP and Blue Cross Blue Shield, to make the cost of membership even more
affordable.
Courtesy of ARAcontent |
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