Do you know the woman at your workplace who claims that she runs 5 miles each in the morning, and she lifts her weights 3 times each week?
She may be exaggerating.
In reality, Philadelphians don’t exercise a whole lot compared with folks in other large U.S. cities, according to an analysis of 2021 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released earlier this month by ChamberOfCommerce.org. ChamberOfCommerce.org writes reviews about finance and marketing for small-scale businesses, and isn’t associated in any way with chamber of commerce. U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Researchers determined the percentage of adults who have reported to the CDC the frequency they engage in leisure-time activities like running, calisthenics golf, gardening or simply walking for exercise. These activities help prevent weight gain, diabetes and depression.
In Philadelphia in the city, 68% of adults said they were being physically active. They rank 40th in a list of 49 cities that have populations of 350,000 or greater. The cheesesteak-loving people of the world are placed (hoagie-ed?) in between Wichita, Kan. (39th with 70.1 percentage) along with Milwaukee (41st with 69.3 percent).
At no. 1 Seattle residents despite rain and clouds exercise at the highest rate of 84.7 percent. People in Cleveland come last, with an average of 61.7 percent. The list only goes to 49 since they were the cities where complete data was available.
Some folks were offended with the notion that Philly residents aren’t working enough.
“Geez it’s so annoying that they call us the saddest city in the world for something or other,” said Todd Scott who is 57 and the owner of Platoon Fitness, a Center City gym. “But when people aren’t exercising, how could people like me get into business? There are people exercising all the time.” (A majority of jogging outside grew throughout America as gyms shut down in the midst of the pandemic, researchers suggest.)
The story has been described as “complete b.s.” According the report’s author Mark Berman, a 51-year-old South Philadelphia graphic designer and an avid athlete. Berman said that there’s a largely unnoticed group of runners who block the streets in early morning hours, while the less able and less slender among us sleep in and contemplate breakfasts of syrup-soaked pancakes.
“Over many years there has seen an exponential rise on the amount of people who run,” stated Berman, noting the increasing popularity of the running club. “That study is a sham. I’m not convinced.”
For certain people, the fact that our neighbors aren’t interested in sitting-ups as the people inside the Emerald City didn’t register as an outrage.
“You have noticed that other teams have mascots that are healthier as our team’s,” said bar owner William Reed, 54, from Fishtown. “I believe that the reason we’ve got Gritty is because we’re able to accept the “come-as-you-are” look.” Certainly the charming rotundity the Phillie Phanatic suggests, he declared that “most people can see an aspect of ourselves within Gritty as well as that of the Phanatic.”
Perry Coco is not much in mascots but believes that the story puts him in the wrong place.
“I do not exercise anymore,” said Coco, 64, from South Philadelphia, who’s retired from the construction business. “As I grew older it became more difficult. You develop knee pain back, knees — I’ve got everything.
“Now my sons-in-law complete their work in the morning and then go into the fitness center for 3 hours. I would love to have that kind of drive. I ask them: “Why not take a bath after work and then lie down?”
Coco and others have pointed out Coco and others noted that Philadelphia is famous for its cycling city, however, according to WalletHub the city doesn’t make the top 10 of the most bicycle-friendly cities.
Overall, Terri Lipman, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, said that the ChamberOfCommerce.org analysis “is no real surprise.”
In a study of 250 elementary school pupils by Penn Nursing, Lipman learned that many children do not have safe spaces to play in. She also said “Children are spending too many hours staring at screens and don’t spend enough time in sports and gym classes at school.”
Lipman noted that Philadelphia is among the most populous U.S. cities, Lipman stated that people who live in poverty have “multiple important problems.” The physical activity demands care for oneself and it can be difficult when you have other life-sustaining responsibilities that are added to an individual, she explained.
Individuals with higher incomes are more likely to meet physical activity guidelines than their lower-income counterparts, according to the ChamberOfCommerce.org analysis.
It’s important to know that individuals don’t have to run to stay healthy, according to Sara Kovacs, a Temple University professor of instruction who has an expertise in sports and exercise science. “Briskly walking for 5 to 10 minutes, and then regularly taking in that amount of time has advantages,” she said.
It’s not always simple and neither is it always easy, Kovacs acknowledged.
Tianna Gaines-Turner is 43. who is employed by a non-profit which assists people who have housing issues and other problems, she said that her neighborhood with low income located in the Northeast isn’t ideal for physical exercise, particularly for her children.
“To be truthful there are parks all around here that have been renovated and some are beautiful. However, they’re extremely dangerous,” she said. “We hold shootouts in the midday. My children want to be on swings and play however they shouldn’t be to duck the bullets.”
Since the beginning it’s been apparent to Selena Earley Philadelphians do not exercise enough.
So, for the last 18 years the couple, along with their partner, David, 60, have taught Zumba and line and hip-hop dance to children as well as adults from West Philadelphia at Inthedance,llc. Inthedance makes up Dance for Health, a collaboration with the Penn School of Nursing to increase fitness levels.
Sometimes, she added that kids pose the biggest task. “I believe they’d prefer having smartphones at their fingertips but we keep the beats speedy as well as the sound loud” she said Earley, aged 57. “They are excited and want to be able to.”
It’s recommended to get exercise for children as young as possible experts advise.
In other words the way it is, like Dom Episcopo, a 55-year-old commercial photographer from Fishtown tells us – and in the same way that Philadelphia is evidently in agreement — “it’ll always be difficult to find the motivation to exercise, and it’s easy to find excuses to not do it. But it’s authentic.”
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