Many New Zealanders are unhealthy due to their lifestyle, and diabetes is an increasing problem. It is not easy for many of us to change to eating properly and avoiding harmful food and drink. There are strong pressures from those around us, from advertising and from our own acquired habits. To make a real impact on the problem there need to be places where people can obtain reliable information and be helped in their personal struggle: and it is a struggle, because the eating and drinking habits of a lifetime cannot easily be changed. It is also helpful to meet and be encouraged by other people with the same problem, as Alcoholics Anonymous and similar organisations have demonstrated.
Some large towns already have commercially operated exercise facilities, which may include a gym, weight training, swimming pool, and aerobic suite.
These tend to attract only those who are already committed to exercise, the younger, fitter, upwardly mobile members of society. Many of the middle aged and less fit would feel out of place. Cost is also a factor: all privately owned centres need to charge a hefty fee to remain solvent and this excludes many who would most benefit. They are situated where there is money!
One part of the answer: SMALLER Healthy Life Centres within nearly everyone’s reach, which will have these facilities, and also trained professionals who can advise and encourage those who want to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
They will offer a friendly environment where one can meet people who share the same problems. Exercise in company can be much more fun!
And the training staff will ensure that people gain maximum benefit from activities suited to their individual needs.
In Britain over the last few years over 300 Healthy Living Centres have been built, mostly with money from the Big Lotteries Fund. Centres are of many types: where there are already good swimming pools and gyms, the HLCs provide a community base, encouraging everyone to make use of existing facilities and providing advice and assistance.
The cost of Healthy Life Centres throughout the country would be a small fraction of the $10 BILLION that our Health Service costs every year, and would save money and many lives.
There are also many social benefits: young people will have something much better to do than hang around the streets and join gangs. Old people will have places to maintain fitness and meet other people.
As for exercise, walking can be very pleasant and is possible for many people in
good weather, but research has shown that unless it is done at a high activity level
it has only a small effect on obesity (see the “Links” page), though overall health
is improved.
Swimming is excellent exercise but New Zealand is not blessed with many all-weather
pools. Rural areas especially have very poor provision and regular swimming is impossible
for most country people. The provision of facilities is left to local Councils who
have many claims on their funds and are unwilling or unable to increase the rates
to provide more pools. It’s a Health issue and should surely be Government funded
as it will save the Health budget.
