Fitness has become a trend in and of itself, from the constant barrages of companies from the food and beverage industry shovelling the words protein and fibre wherever they can, all while different types of activities constantly pop up. Of course, when you consider previous trends that were literal health hazards like the 20171 tidepod challenge, this shift towards fitness is a massive upgrade in comparison…right?
At first glance, there is nothing wrong with people wanting to take care of their bodies. Consumers are becoming more aware of what they are eating and how it impacts them, and people are finally getting outside to ‘touch grass’. Thanks to the multitude of health creators online, providing numerous free fitness programs, a key example being Chloe Ting2. Becoming healthy is no longer hidden behind a financial paywall. Yet this abundance of choice brings about a hidden downside: is our approach to exercise actually starting to do more harm than good?
While wellness has become more accessible, people are paradoxically suffering because of how commercialised the industry has become. To be clear, exercising itself is highly encouraged, but we must be mindful about how we go about it. For starters, it is crucial that information regarding posture and form comes from a certified & reliable source
Not to mention, internet nutrition tips can be incredibly sketchy3. Uncertified influencers push misinformation and promote their own products. Consumers must avoid falling for these tactics and conduct their own research instead. We need to exercise great caution when dealing with online information that is designed to cause panic. Misinformation is a lot easier to spread than the truth, and is a lot harder to correct once it takes root4.
On top of this, people accidentally strike themselves in the foot during exercising. Studies show that a person's estimated glomerular filtration rate (EGFR), an indicator of how well your kidneys work, tends to be lower after exercising5. It sounds counterintuitive at first. Think about it, you exercise, you’re sweating, so your kidneys should have a lighter workload right? In reality, during exercise, the body diverts blood flow away from internal organs and sends it straight to your working muscles. If less water is consumed, especially in moderate workouts where you may not sweat as heavily. This lack of hydration strains the kidneys further, causing EGFR to drop.
Ultimately, today’s landscape is filled with overwhelming amounts of knowledge about health and fitness. Due to this, it is deeply important for consumers to think critically, verify sources and avoid falling into misinformation traps. To ensure your fitness journey is truly supporting your health, consider getting screened every few months to catch any underlying issues early and always consult qualified health professionals and nutritionists along your voyage.
References:
1Robson, K., (2019). Dangerous detergent: Dealing with the tide pod challenge. In Sage Business Cases. SAGE Publications, Ltd., https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526476739
2Chloe Ting Free workout programs. (n.d.). https://chloeting.com/program
3Denniss E, Lindberg R, McNaughton SA. Quality and accuracy of online nutrition-related information: a systematic review of content analysis studies. Public Health Nutrition. 2023;26(7):1345-1357. doi:10.1017/S1368980023000873
4Soroush Vosoughi et al. ,The spread of true and false news online. Science 359,1146-1151(2018). DOI: 10.1126/science.aap9559
5Poortmans JR. Exercise and renal function. Sports Med. 1984 Mar-Apr;1(2):125-53. doi: 10.2165/00007256-198401020-00003. PMID: 6567229.
