TALKBACK everyone’s talking about . . .
cancer testing G
Ps try and encourage people to lead healthy lives, but it’s too medicalised. So said cancer expert
professor Karol Sikora to The Evening Standard in December 2011, adding: “If we’re going to stop lifestyle cancers, then what would have more impact would be if gyms, for example, took a swab test and gave people a print out of their own risk.” The fi tness industry is keen to work
more closely with the healthcare sector, but do fi tness instructors want to be handing nervous new members a piece of paper saying they have a high risk of developing cancer? Is that how
people want to receive the news? And would the subsequent fear drive them into being loyal gym goers, or would the gym experience feel forever tainted – a real chore that you have to do, or else you will die? This news story came just ahead
of a Cancer Research UK-backed report, carried out by the University of London, linking lifestyle and cancer. It showed that nearly half of cancers diagnosed in the UK each year – almost 130,000 cases – are caused by avoidable life choices including smoking, drinking and eating the wrong things. Lead author, professor Max Parkin, says: “Many people believe cancer is
charles gale gale burnett consulting • owner
“C
ancer screening in gyms is not a good idea, as this is not
the industry’s specialism. But there is potential for real synergy in clubs linking up with BUPA, or the NHS, to organise – for example – talks from nutritionists about diets for wellness, or cardiologists on the importance of exercise and to give information about lifestyle-related
diseases, as well as to offer some basic health screenings. There does need to be a cultural shift in the ways in
which people take more active responsibility for their own health and wellbeing, but fear-based messages – that don’t incorporate a specific solution, or a practical and available course of action – are rarely effective. They tend to be ignored, or worse still, actively turn members off. How we communicate is as important as what we
communicate when it comes to influencing and changing behaviours. By striking a positive tone, the messages from health clubs that exercise ‘makes sense’ can be made more credible, more influential. This is an opportunity to both encourage and reinforce the positive commitment that a member has made to their health by choosing to join a health club.
”
kath hudson • journalist • health club management
Gyms should be carrying out mouth swab tests to predict people’s chances of developing cancer, according to a cancer expert. Is this a direction in which we want to be heading?
down to fate or ‘in the genes’ and that it is the luck of the draw if they get it. Looking at all the evidence, it’s clear that around 40 per cent of all cancers are caused by things we mostly have the power to change.” But how do we get people to live
healthy lifestyles? Is fear actually the way to do it? This January, the Hertfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group took the controversial move of stopping routine surgery on obese people or smokers. But does the stick approach work, or just cause despair? Lifestyle change is needed and our
industry has the tools, but what is the way forward? We ask the experts....
WHAT WORKS BEST – THE CARROT OR THE STICK? EMAIL US:
HEALTHCLUB@LEISUREMEDIA.COM
chris jones nuffield health • head of physiology
reinforces the idea of the gym as a negative experience. Neither do we want to put pressure on fitness instructors to become clinicians – testing for cancer is outside of their knowledge. However, health clubs do have the potential to offer more services and
“I
practical support, and become a health hub. I think health clubs should be able to offer people access to a broad range of clinicians and doctors, who can give advice and carry out optional tests, using evidence-based assessments for lifestyle- related cancers. This can then be discussed with a doctor and the results fed through to the fitness team to draw up an appropriate programme. Offering a variety of services under one roof, with a joined-up approach, could make a real impact. However, tests should only be carried out by trained clinicians. All tests have limitations to them, and screening everybody
for cancers increases the risk of unnecessary harm and stress. However, highly trained fitness professionals can help members to understand their general health status by testing aspects such as blood pressure, cholesterol or body composition.
” 28 Read Health Club Management online
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital march 2012 © cybertrek 2012
don’t think it’s a good idea to scare people into exercise: this
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100