Sir, – Dr Jacky Jones's article was a timely and enlightening commentary on the public understanding of health and lifestyle ("Little things are really huge changes that don't happen overnight", Health + Family, November 4th). The blurring of the distinction between the two is evident in the practices of some health and fitness clubs. At Christmas, members of some fitness clubs in Ireland will be encouraged to take part in events that involve the consumption of 12 pints of alcohol over the course of one night in 12 different pubs. Somebody will benefit from this, but it is hard to imagine that it is the members of the fitness clubs themselves.
Women’s health in other clubs seems to be predominantly about losing weight in order to conform to certain societal images of women, and the messages about the importance of self-confidence and self-esteem posted by the clubs on social media sites are frequently disingenuous, empty and insincere. For example, female members can expect to be targeted in the weeks leading up to Christmas, and will be encouraged by the clubs to compete in “events”so that they can fit into the LBD, otherwise known as the little black dress. It appears that Christmas leaves some health and fitness clubs in Ireland the worse for wear in more ways than one. To use Dr Jones’s term, the “lifestyle police” definition of health for the members of some fitness clubs, particularly for women, is as narrow and as constrictive as the little black dress itself. – Yours, etc,
SORCHA DE BRÚN,
Templeogue,
Dublin 16.