For once, it is in the United States that a new trend is emerging in terms of physical activity: fitnessis now practiced in some places of worshipbut it does not happen without some hiccups. It is therefore in the name of faith and sweat that “health” resumes its letters of nobility across the Atlantic.
The Churchill gym
It is a new trendy concept that “church-gymnasiums”. A sharp increase is emerging in the United States: places of worship are opting and moving one after the othertowards an energetic management of overweight and obesity. It is on the tunes of psalms, which allow you to find the greatest faith deep inside, that yoga classes, jogging sessions on treadmills or hydromassage techniques on adapted beds are offered in the sacristies or attics of churches.
But is this so surprising? Not really when we know that in the USA overweight people cost nearly 150 billion dollars a year. But is this reasonable?
Ever-increasing health care spending
Since the 80s, overweight continues to grow and concerns more and more Americans but not only since today it is nearly five hundred million individuals who are concerned worldwide (including more than 1/3 of Americans). Despite state support, the fight against overweight is a bitter failure. Then religious communities come to the rescue of civil society.
Already in 2015 the Department of Health allocated a budget of just under one million dollars for churches to develop a prevention program against overweight and obesity. It is true that the American people attend parishes since about 40% of them go to church once a week.
Efficient care in the southern United States
In New Jersey places of worship play an essential role from the religious point of view but now they are very interested in the fight against overweight. The proof is this: the website “Health Fitness Revolution” has ranked the best churches that have decided to move towards physical activity. No less than two thousand faithful go there and follow the sermon.
In Houstonno less than 250,000 dollars allowed to modify a large part of the church into aplace of practice for sports and this in all simplicity. According to Priest Bundrick, there is no better way to recruit new worshippers even outside of the Lord’s Day, Sunday. Moreover, a new discipline called “yogod” has even emerged within these religious walls. That’s saying something!
Unfair competition?
These initiatives are without counting the managers of the fitness rooms who donot really agreethat the sporting activity flies to other heavens and mainly in the churches. Indeed, they do not pay any tax to teach these activities but charge, all the same, subscriptions. This is the case in the Lockwood Church in Houston where you have to offload a monthly participation of 25 dollars to move and sweat.
In any case, it is not certain that this concept “arrives” in France. Moreover, the sizes of the churches are not of the same ilk as those of our American neighbors. A chance?
