An answer to the pressing question of whether fitness “quackery” is on the increase — my answer is a resounding “No!” From the Charles Atlas ads in the 1940s to the Royal Air Force fitness programs in the 1960s, to many of the ads in Muscle Builder Power magazine in that same decade, to strength and weight-gain formulas, megavitamins, sauna suits, weight-reduction belts, knee wraps, athletic tape, inversion boots, calorie counters, etc., have been around since the beginning of this century. They were, however, mostly in print advertising.
If you didn’t buy the magazine, you weren’t exposed to the sales pitch. With the advent of the information superhighway and the mega-TV channel selection comes a bombardment (of sorts) of those crazy fitness buffs and their fitness machines.
Is it quackery? No, just advertising. As a matter of interest, it may probably be the best thing for the business of fitness. As more and more of these types of gimmicks hit the market, the consumer may become wiser (or just tired of the sales pitch), and the second-rate products will fade from our 27-inch screens. Lest we forget that in America it is still a “buyer beware” market. That does not mean that they are involved in fraud. They certainly would not qualify as “quacks” either, because it would be hard to say that an infomercial fitness guru (such as Tony Little) is hardly “ostracized.” Judging by his 1995 income, he may be one of the leading money makers in the history of the fitness profession.
The best way to counter ads that may seem questionable is to devote equal amounts of air time to products that promote safe and enjoyable exercise (one example is Douglas Brooks’ and Gin Miller’s fitness ball ad on QVC). The public will ultimately decide on what’s best for them, and until the fitness profession can agree on standards of practice and codes of ethics, we will continue to see a barrage of gimmicks on our cable stations. Happy surfing!
First, I commend you for correctly calling attention to the existence of the “hucksters” in the fitness industry. These people deliberately mislead, misinform and lie to the general public and fitness professionals alike simply to make money selling bogus products and programs. Something must be done about these people because their actions jeopardize the legitimate exercise profession.
However, I must condemn your selection of examples of quacks. Even though your intentions may be good, you obviously don’t possess the required knowledge and expertise to correctly judge a program or product as either valid or quackery. In your list of examples, you wrongly suggested two individuals and programs as quackery when in fact their programs and messages are actually quite logical, rational and valid.