Battling the Secret Pandemic

Get ready and plug your seatbelts in because it’s most likely going to be another bumpy ride for the fitness industry over the next couple of months. There is no telling what exactly the future holds right now, but be rest assured we can weather this storm by supporting each other and the industry. When lockdown lifted the first time, people in their millions returned to gyms and private studio’s. Why? Because health and mental wellness matters! Covid-19 has shown how obesity and poor lifestyle choices can make it harder to fight the disease and making recovery longer in those who suffer the worst. Public Health England recently stated in their Better Health campaign that…

• People living with obesity are twice as likely to be hospitalised with COVID-19
• Current evidence suggests that COVID-19 patients living with obesity, and in particular morbid obesity, may be more likely to be admitted to intensive care; require advanced treatment; and potentially have poorer outcomes, including a greater risk of mortality 
• Data from intensive care audit weekly reports, which detail adult intensive care, indicates that 7% of those in intensive care are morbidly obese – this is twice the rates of morbid obesity in the population as a whole

For many years health professionals have said obesity is the secret pandemic in this country. Only now is it becoming more known to the masses. This is not about body shaming, it’s about giving people the best chance to live a full life where disease, illness and mental health problems are not killing the nation.

All things considered, there are many reasons why an individual might fall into the obese or morbidly obese category, and without getting too political, economical or sidetracked with semantics, as professionals, we all understand that we have to be part of the solution. Which is partly why trainers have been so passionate about the response to gym closures. There is more than one pandemic we are fighting this year.

As we move forward in the current climate it is likely that we may have to live with Covid-19 long term until something drastically changes. The first time round no one was prepared for what Covid-19 had brought to the door, but as time goes on we can learn to adjust and make positive changes. Hindsight, as they say, is a wonderful thing. It’s never too late to start.

On a side note, we would like to thank all those who have continued to support small businesses and the fitness industry this year

Thanks for Reading