by Jon Mikelonis
Introduction
Any summertime classic car event is a yearly indicator to me
that some of
us are spending too much time maintaining our cars and not enough
time
maintaining ourselves. Really, isn't it a bit of a contradiction
to spend
so many of your leisure hours perfecting an inanimate object
while neglecting your own well-being? Let me put it this way,
if your midsection has morphed from a temporary spare into a
drag slick then lend an ear because it may be time to evaluate
the fuel you are pumping into your most precious machine...
your own body.
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| DIY auto enthusiasts should be proud
to have chosen an interest that prioritizes participation
and movement over sedentary interests like spending hours
in a sports bar watching others stay in shape... and getting
paid for it! |
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Afterall, it's an active hobby
America is suffering from an obesity epidemic and there's no
reason that we as non-sedentary and "hands-on" auto
enthusiasts should be carrying too many extra pounds. Afterall,
our hobby is comprised mostly of motivated individuals that
choose productivity and participation over fantasy football,
the sofa, and ESPN. In our "sport" we bend, twist,
lift, kneel, squat, roll, struggle, and overcome forces, but
most importantly our hobby requires us to be off the couch.
Sure, a lot of us enjoy watching sports but the fact that we
choose to physically rebuild, modify, or restore cars, automatically
puts us in a class outside of those who spend their leisure
time idly watching, measuring, and comparing somebody else's
successes and failures.
Facts, Figures, and Societal Signals
It's simple, a lack of physical activity and bad nutrition
has sent the
health of the average American into a downward spiral. This
is not news
since the trend started about 30 years ago and it only takes
a trip to the
supermarket or the mall to see there is a problem. The following
excerpt and map from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates the
stunning statistics.
 Figure
1: Percentage of Population Considered Obese By State (Obese
defined as Body Mass Index Greater Than or Equal to 30)
In the past 30 years, the prevalence
of overweight and obesity has increased sharply for both adults
and children. Since 1976-1980, the prevalence of obesity among
U.S. adults has approximately doubled. In 2005-2006, more
than 34% of adults aged 20 years or older were obese. The
prevalence of overweight among children aged 2-5 years increased
from 5.0% during 1976-1980 to 13.9% during 2003-2004. During
the same period, the prevalence increased from 6.5% to 18.8%
among young people aged 6-11 years, and 5.0% to 17.4% among
those aged 12-19 years.
People who are obese are at increased
risk for heart disease, high blood
pressure, diabetes, arthritis-related disabilities, and some
cancers. The
estimated total cost of obesity in the United States in 2000
was about
$117 billion.
Promoting regular physical activity
and healthy eating and creating an
environment that supports these behaviors are essential to
addressing the
problem.
Studies show that more than 50% of
U.S. adults do not get enough physical
activity to provide health benefits and 25% are not active
at all in their
leisure time.
The CDC specifically sites regular physical
activity and healthy eating as
the best ways to address obesity. Furthermore, the CDC emphasizes
that physical activity does not need to be rigorous, boring,
or regimented to provide health benefits. In fact, it has
been shown that many enjoyable activities can serve as legitimate
exercise. The CDC makes 14
recommendations for increasing your physical activity all
of which have
one thing in common. You must be standing to perform them!
So What Does This Data Mean to Us as Active Auto Enthusiasts?
Have ever stood at the threshold of your garage, shop, or
carport on a Saturday afternoon and wondered why all your
neighbors are holed up inside their houses? Or maybe you've
noticed that your garage is the only one illuminated like
a ball park at 11:00 pm on a weeknight? If you've considered
this then you know that a large percentage of Americans have
become docile creatures. If you're an active auto enthusiast
then you are not part of this "growing" segment
and have at least a portion of the CDC's anti-obesity equation
in check. Among the CDC's 14 recommendations for adding more
"movement" to your life is to "perform gardening
or home repairs", an activity that can be easily compared
to working on your project car.
 (Parallels
to Gardening and Yardwork)
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Would
You Put Grocery Store Brand Motor Oil in Your Project Car's
Engine?
