Exercise and Health. Hyped? Fads? Truth? Or just clever marketing?
- dannidobsonpt
- Sep 16, 2019
- 5 min read
Is it just me? Am I the only person who likes to see evidence based proof of a statement, before I accept it? The amount of adverts for Health related areas are overwhelming. How can we possibly know what is the best, what is real, what is fake?
This article examines or at least discusses the Hype around some of the messages the exercise Industry shares as facts. If you scrutinise the messages carefully, they can be at best, misleading!
So before you blindly accept that a new Diet, Class or piece of equipment will change you overnight with little or no effort (apart from spending your money). Think about what the messages are, what the purpose of them are and are they true?
All parts of the exercise industry do this. Diets, Nutrition, Fad classes, Home DVD's, Exercise equipment and clothing....all to sell more, get you subscribing, that's it.
HYPE, We know what that is? Well here is the definition:
noun 1. Extravagant or intensive publicity or promotion.
verb 1. Promote or publicise (a product or idea) intensively, often exaggerating its benefits.
Now in my mind, there is absolutely nothing wrong in marketing or promoting something. After all, how can we get our message out to people? Get to know about something that we may want to buy or use the service? But it has to be truthful! It must be based upon facts!.... The part in the verb description of HYPE I find most interesting is "often exaggerating its benefits".
Now that is why I research claims, looking for proof. The marketing machines flood the market with information and when we see the same thing over and over again, we believe it right? They can't be misleading us can they?
Well they are often are not blatant lies, they do frequently omit some facts, leaving us only with a positive message.
For example a dance class "could" burn "up to" a 1000 Calories per class! Well it is sort of true, but studies have shown an average 300-400 Calories are burned per hour. That amount also depends upon the intensity used and your starting weight....
Now consider that you will need to burn more 500 calories per day more than your body requires (remember TDEE calculation), to lose just 1 pound of weight. That should make you think, so I need to control my nutrition as well as attend the class? The average person going to this example class 7 days per week and not changing their eating habits will actually stay about the same weight or even put on weight! Do they tell you that on the adverts? No? Why? Well it's good for the class provider, more fees.......but is it good for you?
Some just plainly lie to you! Sketchers had to pay $45M for the lie that their Ads for the Resistance Runner shoes. They claimed "people who wear them could increase 'muscle activation' by up to 85 percent for posture-related muscles and 71 percent for one of the muscles in the buttocks", well they didn't and they were forced to retract and pay compensation.
FAD.... definition:
noun. An intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-lived; a craze. So the Industry "Hypes" something, with perhaps exaggerated benefits, but we can't see anything but the same message from different media sources... (flooded) so it must be true! We then start to believe it and adopt that message and promote it ourselves as FACT. We become a champion, telling our friends and colleagues, often quoting the same fake messages ...helping to create the HYPE! So creating a Hyped FAD!
Now this is really powerful stuff! When do we ever admit we were wrong? If you get something wrong but have told/shared and promoted to everyone you have ever met, do you make a conscious effort to tell them? Would you admit you encouraged them to do something without checking?
This is how Trends in the industry start, very loud and interesting marketing, creating a HYPE. It's new and exciting, you believe the HYPE and so tell and share with everyone you know. They do the same (my friend says its great so it must be)....before long it is the must-do exercise, dance class, home video workout or diet...But it doesn't work or live up to the promises, its really a waste of money....seen it before? Sound familiar?
Why is this allowed?
Well it's not! But the sheer scale and size of the industry and the millions if not billions of adverts posted daily (and its not just the manufacturers posting these, it is also the franchises who get this marketing given to them). These ads are not fully scrutinised, often are only looked at after complaints are received. The adverts are removed that are not accurate (after complaints), some are fined....but the message has been delivered, so if it created a buzz its worked! How many public retractions have you seen...? Go and Google False advertising promises, where you will see some that will make your toes curl!
Here is one well published example: Coca Cola Vitamin Water
Vitamins, whether taken as supplements or as a part of food or drink are essential for life. By that logic, a drink like Vitamin Water must be great for you. It’s literally the combination of two of life’s vital ingredients — water, and vitamins. Add to that claims that it would “boost your immune system” and “help fight free radicals” and you really have one seriously healthy drink. But as it turns out, it’s just a fancy name. It’s another sweet drink, with a typical bottle containing 120 calories and 32 grams of sugar.
Coca-Cola, the makers of Vitamin Water, found it a little odd that people thought Vitamin Water was healthy. “No consumer could be reasonably misled into thinking that Vitamin Water is a healthy beverage,” said Coca-Cola’s lawyers! Soon after that, they settled a $9 million lawsuit....Some brass neck that....Really, it's called VITAMIN WATER!!!!
The Fitness and related industries in 2017 were worth an estimated $4.2 TRILLION, this industry can pay for a powerful media machine, with very big budgets, lots of power and lots of profit to gain.
What are the Hyped Fad Areas I may delve into?
I will spend some time delving into for you are:
Diet and weight Loss
Fitness Classes/Dance Fitness Franchises
Vitamins and Supplements
Clothing and Fitness aids
Some of the claims these areas make are really interesting and may shock some.
What Can you do?
Use your common sense. Don't passively believe the Hype. At least be sceptical of something like a Quick Loss Diet Pill.... In general if it sounds too good to be true, it is more than likely false.
If you are still not sure do the research, ask for clinical proof and then if still not sure, try Google Scholar for research papers not just reading more marketing from the brands.... (they commission papers to prove the lies).
Ask a professional or your GP or seek out a Nutritionist...as part of my qualification and on going certification, I have to prove that I attend exercise, health and related courses and have examined/studied the newest exercise information and results. By not promoting a specific product it allows me to review independently of the HYPE and tell the truth. Know what really works!
Some may disagree with my opinions, but they are my opinions and they will be formed from fact and research. I will post links to the research so that you can read it for yourself. It will probably not be research commissioned by the brands themselves either! (don't they have a vested interest for the research to support their claims)? So look out for articles in coming weeks!
As always I hope this article has raised some questions and hopefully given you some answers! if you want to discuss this article or any other Exercise, Health, Nutrition or Fitness matters then please contact me!
Contact me by e-mail: dannidobsonpt@outlook.com
Call/Text 07811 888394
Facebook @Dannidobsonpt
Insta and YouTube coming soon!
Danni X
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