In 2017, congressional Republicans proposed a $100 billion dollar healthcare package that incentivized exercise by allowing gym memberships to become tax-deductible medical expenses¹. With obesity rates in the U.S. climbing up to 40%, it is abundantly clear that this country has a weight problem³. Is a financial incentive to join gyms an effective and fair way to get Americans more active? I don't think so.
Low-income populations are less likely to be able to afford and have the time to go the gym.
Whether it be the single mom or parents who live paycheck to paycheck, a gym membership is simply not feasible for those who have to work long hours and have children. Gym memberships can get very pricey, especially when you add in annual fees and sign up costs. A health care package like this may also pit rural America further against its scarcity: you cannot benefit from gym related tax deductions if there aren't any gyms near you. Nevertheless, legislation from the federal government should work in favor of the entire population, not a fraction.
Gym memberships do not translate to better health.
Many statistics show that a vast majority of gym memberships go unused. In January 2012, 80% of Americans who joined the gym quit by the end of the month²! I do not foresee how adding a financial incentive could make ratios regarding gym-use any better. Additionally, there is something to be said about the sizeable number of people who would buy gym memberships to only use gym amenities like the whirlpool, sauna, and steam room. I wish a gym membership translated to a healthy person, but that is not the case.
Free fitness-goers would not benefit equally.
With the internet at our hands, home exercises are becoming more and more popular. In fact, in the midst of medical school-induced hell last semester, I found time to exercise by doing 15 minute high intensity interval training exercises I found on YouTube. So, why must buying into private companies be the way we incentivize fitness? The people who run around their blocks and work out at home should be afforded the same opportunities.
Additionally, gym culture isn't for everyone. I recently stumbled upon a Yelp review of my gym. Once the reviewer, who I believe was probably a middle aged woman, finished writing in favor of the gym's affordable price, she stated that there are a bunch of men who work out there wearing hoods, which understandably comes off as intimidating. I chuckled a bit, but it's true! Gym bros dominate the free weights section, and girls often get approached and stared at. It's not the greatest environment for everyone, so I completely understand why people would be upset that the government incentivizes a place where they feel uncomfortable.
The Wrap Up
If gym memberships become tax-deductible across the board, I'm sure some people will become healthier. I'll give you that. The United States as a whole, however, will not benefit significantly from such an expensive program. Research shows that such programs do not work on a large scale. Besides the empirical data, we can elucidate obvious reasons why incentivizing gym memberships just isn't practical.
More importantly, there are better alternatives that can ensure on a fair basis that everyone in this country has the chance to be healthy, which includes air quality control, regulation of prescription drug prices, decreasing the number of uninsured persons, and even my proposed change: implementing cooking lessons in secondary physical education. $100 billion can go a long way for healthcare but only if done correctly.
Sources:
¹Frakt, Austin, and Gilbert Benavidez. “Why a 'Passive' Health Approach Can Produce the Most Action.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 7 Jan. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/01/07/upshot/congress-health-financial-incentives-ineffective.html. ²Lake, Rebecca. “23 Gym Membership Statistics That Will Astound You.” CreditDonkey, www.creditdonkey.com/gym-membership-statistics.html. ³Norton, Amy. “U.S. Obesity Rates Rising Again – WebMD.” WebMD, WebMD, 12 June 2018, www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/news/20180612/us-obesity-rates-rising-again#1.
Ezra Guttmann is a medical student at the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine. Opinions on this website are of his only. There is no medical advice on this website. Please subscribe to my blog!
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