7 ms·

Brazil's billion-dollar gym experiment

79 points by akkartik 12y ago

lotsofmangos 12y ago
Nice idea, and I wish them well, but I suspect it will take more than a free gym for every 50,000 people to put a significant dent in Brazil's inequality and health problems.
- jerf 12y ago
  Indeed; a reminder that crony capitalism is not isolated to the US.
  - Shivetya 12y ago
    what most people miss is that this term applies to about every government known to man. Oh sure many countries would never call their government capitalist but they sure do the same thing, politicians and private or appointed owners of production work together to protect their status usually with little concern for others.
  - redpower 12y ago
    In places like Brazil and Italy it is normal and expected in the US it is not.
soneca 12y ago
As a lot of things here in Brazil, this looks like not very thought through. "When you consider the fact that Brazilian diets are commonly high in fat – meat is often eaten for all three meals of the day – it’s no surprise that hypertension, diabetes, cancer, obesity and cardiovascular disease are on the rise." What about all the serious recent research showing little correlation between fat in diet and all the diseases? EDIT: also, I would add that meat is often eaten in upper classes meals. Meat is a luxury for the better part of our population. Actually, I believe that there is research showing that physical activities has, at the most, an indirect effect on obesity. Although I can't cite any study here. Another strange passage: "What really convinces politicians and funders is evidence. " Not sure this is true, in Brazil or any other democracy. What really convinces politicians are projects that generate good publicity. Which this one proved it can. Said that, I think this is indeed a good project and it is a good thing that it is running. But I am inclined to say that the answer to "Can a grand vision of 4,000 free public gyms overcome inequality and fight Brazil’s health crisis? " is no.
- jerf 12y ago
  "Said that, I think this is indeed a good project and it is a good thing that it is running." But is it a billion dollars of good? Especially if the most likely outcome obtains and these turn into 4,000 underused and eventually neglected gyms, eventually resulting in almost all 4,000 being sold at fire sale prices once the government's priorities move on?
  - soneca 12y ago
    Hard to say, but if I were to bet, I would bet your predicted outcome is pretty accurate.
    - dkural 12y ago
      There isn't much to "sell". They're metal+concrete installations.
  - arrrg 12y ago
    The article seems to indicate that the gyms are actually used. Even better, they seem to reclaim previously neglected and unsafe public space. That seems like a good use of public space to me, like a soccer field or a well-maintained park, even irrespective of any health benefits. Of course, lots can go wrong in the actual implementation (clever uses for public spaces are notoriously tricky and hard to get right), but this doesn’t seem like a bad idea to me.
    - mtdewcmu 12y ago
      Investing in a community is a gesture of goodwill. That could be the major legacy of this.
- lotsofmangos 12y ago
  What really convinces politicians are projects that generate good publicity. I used to think that counted, but then I noticed that most politicians regularly support projects that generate appalling publicity, so what really convinces politicians most of the time is probably just bribes and prostitutes.
talles 12y ago
I'm a Brazilian and I've seem near my home those 'open gyms' coming up in the latest years. I never see any instructor, but there is this square just across the street of my house that got some 'gym equipment' for everyone to use. It's a lovely idea, but (IMHO) this move solely doesn't do much towards better health results. It's nice to bundle some equipment to do better workout where we already exercise, but in the end I feel like it would be more efective to make more of those areas. There is really few good places to workout around here or take a long walk for instance. I would love to move around in the city in a bicycle. But there is almost no bicycle path, and facing the transit with buses passing centimeters to you is just for the brave.
- swah 12y ago
  I live in Porto Alegre and it has some bycicle path... but to be really useful it would have to cover most of the way between A and B. (Also its very obvious that flat and colder cities are much better for cycling-as-transportation... you can ride in your office clothes)
rodrigoavie 12y ago
I used to study at the church mentioned in the article when I was a kid, they had a school too. I used to live at the mentioned neighborhood too.
rational-future 12y ago
Wow, what's up with all the negative comments on HN? Brazil has $2.5 trillion annual GDP, according to the World Bank it spends 9.3% on health. That's over $200B. Even if this project costs $1B annually, IMHO spending .5% on effective preventation is a great idea.
cjensen 12y ago
Why not try it out on one city before spending a billion on the whole country? Too many large scale leaders insist on the grand "I'm sure it will work" idea before bothering to try it out on the small scale first.
marincounty 12y ago
1. More than 10 per cent of Brazilians live on just two US dollars a day, despite the fact that the country ranks fifth in the world for its number of billionaires. 2. I'm for anything that helps the poor. 3. In America, I'm not asking for a gym membership, but it would be nice to have Public restrooms? Yes--just a restroom. "No--we have no restroom!" "The closest restroom is in that hotel, but you have to sneak in the back door" "Why do the Homeless defecate in the pristine park?" "Mom--did you bring your Detrol--there will probally be no restrooms." Yea--It's a problem. And I don't want to hear if you build it, they will come. Exactly who will come--99% of the people will be there because they need to use the toilet, and wash their hands.
- rokhayakebe 12y ago
  WalMart. Everywhere.
Jemaclus 12y ago
I know that exercise doesn't make that much of a dent in the overall obesity epidemic by itself, but I wonder how much of just exercising influences one's diet. For instance, if I run 3 miles today, am I more or less likely to eat a salad for dinner? Or a pizza? Am I more likely to watch my diet if I'm exercising, or am I more likely to splurge? Is there a trend in either direction? If exercise influences diet positively, then this is absolutely worth it. If it doesn't affect diet at all or if it affects diet negatively, then that's another story. While exercise is great in and of itself, it doesn't solve an obesity epidemic. Even people who exercise every day can have cardiac problems if they don't eat well.
rnnr 12y ago
So would you all have happily paid for all those fat people's gyms? If they want to exercise they could put some walking/running to their daily programme. You only need a pair of legs to do so. But slackers always find excuses, and bureaucrats always find ways to spend the money of the economically illiterate with the smart and naive minds, as it seems.
kimonos 12y ago
Interesting! As for me, diet and exercise goes hand in hand to maintain a healthy lifestyle..
yummyfajitas 12y ago
I don't get what's new about this. From what I've been told (never been to Brazil), they always had free public gyms: http://timclayton.photoshelter.com/image/I0000dmFBPB1xZuQ http://timclayton.photoshelter.com/image/I0000dmFBPB1xZuQ http://timclayton.photoshelter.com/image/I0000cCIgGINK7MA http://timclayton.photoshelter.com/image/I0000cCIgGINK7MA http://timclayton.photoshelter.com/image/I0000DVoSvWJxumY http://timclayton.photoshelter.com/image/I0000DVoSvWJxumY Is the novelty the presence of free lady classes?
jayantsethi 12y ago
I wonder how much India is investing in health and fitness. Hope we do something similar seeing the current fitness levels of the Indian youth.

79 points by akkartik 12y ago

Nice idea, and I wish them well, but I suspect it will take more than a free gym for every 50,000 people to put a significant dent in Brazil's inequality and health problems.

jerf 12y ago
Indeed; a reminder that crony capitalism is not isolated to the US.
- Shivetya 12y ago
  what most people miss is that this term applies to about every government known to man. Oh sure many countries would never call their government capitalist but they sure do the same thing, politicians and private or appointed owners of production work together to protect their status usually with little concern for others.
- redpower 12y ago
  In places like Brazil and Italy it is normal and expected in the US it is not.

soneca 12y ago

As a lot of things here in Brazil, this looks like not very thought through. "When you consider the fact that Brazilian diets are commonly high in fat – meat is often eaten for all three meals of the day – it’s no surprise that hypertension, diabetes, cancer, obesity and cardiovascular disease are on the rise." What about all the serious recent research showing little correlation between fat in diet and all the diseases? EDIT: also, I would add that meat is often eaten in upper classes meals. Meat is a luxury for the better part of our population. Actually, I believe that there is research showing that physical activities has, at the most, an indirect effect on obesity. Although I can't cite any study here. Another strange passage: "What really convinces politicians and funders is evidence. " Not sure this is true, in Brazil or any other democracy. What really convinces politicians are projects that generate good publicity. Which this one proved it can. Said that, I think this is indeed a good project and it is a good thing that it is running. But I am inclined to say that the answer to "Can a grand vision of 4,000 free public gyms overcome inequality and fight Brazil’s health crisis? " is no.

jerf 12y ago
"Said that, I think this is indeed a good project and it is a good thing that it is running." But is it a billion dollars of good? Especially if the most likely outcome obtains and these turn into 4,000 underused and eventually neglected gyms, eventually resulting in almost all 4,000 being sold at fire sale prices once the government's priorities move on?
- soneca 12y ago
  Hard to say, but if I were to bet, I would bet your predicted outcome is pretty accurate.
  - dkural 12y ago
    There isn't much to "sell". They're metal+concrete installations.
- arrrg 12y ago
  The article seems to indicate that the gyms are actually used. Even better, they seem to reclaim previously neglected and unsafe public space. That seems like a good use of public space to me, like a soccer field or a well-maintained park, even irrespective of any health benefits. Of course, lots can go wrong in the actual implementation (clever uses for public spaces are notoriously tricky and hard to get right), but this doesn’t seem like a bad idea to me.
  - mtdewcmu 12y ago
    Investing in a community is a gesture of goodwill. That could be the major legacy of this.
lotsofmangos 12y ago
What really convinces politicians are projects that generate good publicity. I used to think that counted, but then I noticed that most politicians regularly support projects that generate appalling publicity, so what really convinces politicians most of the time is probably just bribes and prostitutes.

talles 12y ago

I'm a Brazilian and I've seem near my home those 'open gyms' coming up in the latest years. I never see any instructor, but there is this square just across the street of my house that got some 'gym equipment' for everyone to use. It's a lovely idea, but (IMHO) this move solely doesn't do much towards better health results. It's nice to bundle some equipment to do better workout where we already exercise, but in the end I feel like it would be more efective to make more of those areas. There is really few good places to workout around here or take a long walk for instance. I would love to move around in the city in a bicycle. But there is almost no bicycle path, and facing the transit with buses passing centimeters to you is just for the brave.

swah 12y ago
I live in Porto Alegre and it has some bycicle path... but to be really useful it would have to cover most of the way between A and B. (Also its very obvious that flat and colder cities are much better for cycling-as-transportation... you can ride in your office clothes)

rodrigoavie 12y ago

I used to study at the church mentioned in the article when I was a kid, they had a school too. I used to live at the mentioned neighborhood too.

rational-future 12y ago

Wow, what's up with all the negative comments on HN? Brazil has $2.5 trillion annual GDP, according to the World Bank it spends 9.3% on health. That's over $200B. Even if this project costs $1B annually, IMHO spending .5% on effective preventation is a great idea.

cjensen 12y ago

Why not try it out on one city before spending a billion on the whole country? Too many large scale leaders insist on the grand "I'm sure it will work" idea before bothering to try it out on the small scale first.

marincounty 12y ago

1. More than 10 per cent of Brazilians live on just two US dollars a day, despite the fact that the country ranks fifth in the world for its number of billionaires. 2. I'm for anything that helps the poor. 3. In America, I'm not asking for a gym membership, but it would be nice to have Public restrooms? Yes--just a restroom. "No--we have no restroom!" "The closest restroom is in that hotel, but you have to sneak in the back door" "Why do the Homeless defecate in the pristine park?" "Mom--did you bring your Detrol--there will probally be no restrooms." Yea--It's a problem. And I don't want to hear if you build it, they will come. Exactly who will come--99% of the people will be there because they need to use the toilet, and wash their hands.

rokhayakebe 12y ago
WalMart. Everywhere.

Jemaclus 12y ago

I know that exercise doesn't make that much of a dent in the overall obesity epidemic by itself, but I wonder how much of just exercising influences one's diet. For instance, if I run 3 miles today, am I more or less likely to eat a salad for dinner? Or a pizza? Am I more likely to watch my diet if I'm exercising, or am I more likely to splurge? Is there a trend in either direction? If exercise influences diet positively, then this is absolutely worth it. If it doesn't affect diet at all or if it affects diet negatively, then that's another story. While exercise is great in and of itself, it doesn't solve an obesity epidemic. Even people who exercise every day can have cardiac problems if they don't eat well.

rnnr 12y ago

So would you all have happily paid for all those fat people's gyms? If they want to exercise they could put some walking/running to their daily programme. You only need a pair of legs to do so. But slackers always find excuses, and bureaucrats always find ways to spend the money of the economically illiterate with the smart and naive minds, as it seems.

kimonos 12y ago

Interesting! As for me, diet and exercise goes hand in hand to maintain a healthy lifestyle..

yummyfajitas 12y ago

I don't get what's new about this. From what I've been told (never been to Brazil), they always had free public gyms: http://timclayton.photoshelter.com/image/I0000dmFBPB1xZuQ http://timclayton.photoshelter.com/image/I0000dmFBPB1xZuQ http://timclayton.photoshelter.com/image/I0000cCIgGINK7MA http://timclayton.photoshelter.com/image/I0000cCIgGINK7MA http://timclayton.photoshelter.com/image/I0000DVoSvWJxumY http://timclayton.photoshelter.com/image/I0000DVoSvWJxumY Is the novelty the presence of free lady classes?

jayantsethi 12y ago

I wonder how much India is investing in health and fitness. Hope we do something similar seeing the current fitness levels of the Indian youth.