As is widely shared, physical activity has a number of benefits to our body that we cannot ignore. From reducing heart risks, diabetes, or cancers to improving mobility for older people or mental health, the vast majority of the population knows the benefits of physical activity and that is why there are many ways to practice physical activity and comply with our exercise goals. Although there are several ways to practice physical activity and improve our health, the truth is that there are still many people below the minimum levels of physical activity. In Europe more than 25% of people do not have enough physical activity and worse than that, the number of teenagers with levels of physical activity below the recommended minimum continues to increase, surpassing the 85% in Europe. And this all why? Because doing physical activity is hard!
The vast majority of people who do physical exercise do it for any of the following three reasons, to lose weight, improve their health or change their appearance. A large number of hours spent on work and commutes leave little time for physical activity, in an era where more and more jobs have less associated physical activity. So the options to do physical activity proliferate but all with an associated cost. In America, people spend on average more than 120€ with physical activity, with the largest slice going to food supplements, gyms and clothing or accessories. In spite of the high value spent, the averages are lower than expected, with the average physical activity being between 1x and 2x per week, and the average caloric expenditure per session between 200cal and 400cal. This means that in America people who seek physical activity to lose weight spend on average 0.10€ to lose each calorie and 0.02€ to ingest each calorie (if the diet was based on the “Big Mac” index).
Food supplements that “promise” physical results continue to outperform gyms in terms of people’s investment. This is because achieving results only by taking supplements is much easier than going to the gym and the human being tends to always choose the option where the effort required is smaller, regardless of the associated financial effort. What if there was a pill that had all the effects of going to the gym, whether it be appearance, weight loss, or health benefits?
“people who seek physical activity to lose weight spend on average 0.10€ to lose each calorie and 0.02€ to ingest each calorie”
For several years there has been researching on the physical activity pill and several results have already been achieved. Some tests were performed with a compound that improved resistance and cardiovascular activity but the side effects were disastrous with signs of cancerous developments. Another compound increases the metabolism of sugars by the body by cheating the cells. Yet none of the compounds can replicate physical activity and its benefits without adverse side effects but the advances that have emerged show that this may be a possibility in the near future. And when does this compound or pill appear, what it will cost? That depends on what people are willing to pay for it.
We have already understood that people are willing to pay more if they achieve results more easily. We also realize that people spend a lot of money to try to have a level of physical activity that reaches their goals, 120€/month on average in the USA. So it can easily be said that if the exercise pill existed, its monthly price would probably be more than € 120, depending on its level of effectiveness. This steady increase direct and indirect spending on physical activity will make it one of the things where people with more money will get better results than people with less money. Despite this, fortunately, the best option to get the results is still practicing physical activity and this is within reach of anyone.