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AFTNews, Events, Our Environment, What's On ?

Health must be front and centre in the COP27 climate change negotiations

View of main stage at COP27’s Health Pavilion, hosted by the World Health Organization. Featuring in the image: central sculpture Bodies Joined by a Molecule of Air (2022) by Invisible Flock and Jon Bausor, 2022. ©Image courtesy of Invisible Flock

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Climate talks begin at COP27 in Cairo, Egypt with a World Health Organization grim reminder that the climate crisis continues to make people sick and jeopardises lives and states that health must be at the core of these critical negotiations.

WHO believes the conference must conclude with progress on the four key goals of mitigation, adaptation, financing and collaboration to tackle the climate crisis.

WHO states that COP27 will be a crucial opportunity for the world to come together and re-commit to keeping the 1.5 °C Paris Agreement goal alive with a focus on health threats from the climate crisis.

Link to WHO website: COP27 Health Pavilion (who.int)

Climate change is making millions of people sick or more vulnerable to disease all over the world and the increasing destructiveness of extreme weather events disproportionately affects poor and marginalized communities. It is crucial that leaders and decision makers come together at COP27 to put health at the heart of the negotiations.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General

Our health depends on the health of the ecosystems that surround us, and these ecosystems are now under threat from deforestation, agriculture and other changes in land use and rapid urban development. The encroachment ever further into animal habitats is increasing opportunities for viruses harmful to humans to make the transition from their animal host. Between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250 000 additional deaths per year from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress.

The direct damage costs to health (i.e., excluding costs in health-determining sectors such as agriculture and water and sanitation), is estimated to be between US$ 2–4 billion per year by 2030.

The rise in global temperature that has already occurred is leading to extreme weather events that bring intense heatwaves and droughts, devastating floods and increasingly powerful hurricanes and tropical storms. The combination of these factors means the impact on human health is increasing and is likely to accelerate.

But there is room for hope, particularly if governments take action now to honour the pledges made at Glasgow in November 2021 and to go further in resolving the climate crisis.

WHO is calling on governments to lead a just, equitable and fast phase out of fossil fuels and transition to a clean energy future. There has also been encouraging progress on commitments to decarbonization and WHO is calling for the creation of a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty that would see coal and other fossil fuels harmful to the atmosphere phased out in a just and equitable way. This would represent one of the most significant contributions to climate change mitigation.

Improvement in human health is something that all citizens can contribute to, whether through the promotion of more urban green spaces, which facilitate climate mitigation and adaptation while decreasing the exposure to air pollution, or campaigning for local traffic restrictions and the enhancement of local transport systems. Community engagement and participation on climate change is essential to building resilience and strengthening food and health systems, and this is particularly important for vulnerable communities and small island developing states (SIDS), who are bearing the brunt of extreme weather events.

Thirty-one million people in the greater Horn of Africa are facing acute hunger and 11 million children are facing acute malnutrition as the region faces one of the worst droughts in recent decades. Climate change already has an impact on food security and if current trends persist, it will only get worse. The floods in Pakistan are a result of climate change and have devasted vast swathes of the country. The impact will be felt for years to come. Over 33 million people have been affected and almost 1,500 health centres damaged. 

But even communities and regions less familiar with extreme weather must increase their resilience, as we have seen with flooding and heatwaves recently in central Europe. WHO encourages everyone to work with their local leaders on these issues and take action in their communities.

­Climate policy must now put health at the centre and promote climate change mitigation policies that bring health benefits simultaneously. Health-focused climate policy would help bring about a planet that has cleaner air, more abundant and safer freshwater and food, more effective and fairer health and social protection systems and, as a result, healthier people.

Investment in clean energy will yield health gains that repay those investments twice over. There are proven interventions able to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants, for instance applying higher standards for vehicle emissions, which have been calculated to save approximately 2.4 million lives per year, through improved air quality and reduce global warming by about 0.5 °C by 2050. The cost of renewable sources of energy has decreased significantly in the last few years, and solar energy is now cheaper than coal or gas in most major economies.

Date: 6-18 November 2022
Location: Sharm el-Sheikh, South Sinai, Egypt
WHO at the COP27 Health Pavilion: COP27 Health Pavilion (who.int)
UN Climate Change Website: https://unfccc.int/calendar/events-list

Interesting Links:

  • Cop26 Global Methane Pledge wants to reduce 30% of methane emissions by 2030: The Global Methane Pledge – Global Methane Tracker 2022 – Analysis – IEA
  • Send a postcard to Australia’s legislators attending COP27: POSTCARD TO EGYPT: Join the call for urgent action at COP27 | Climate Council
  • WHO is custodian to 32 Sustainable Development Goal indicators, 17 of which are impacted by climate change or its drivers, and 16 of which specifically impact the health of children.
  • The COP27 Health Pavilion will convene the global health community and its partners to ensure health and equity are placed at the centre of the climate negotiations. It will offer a 2-week programme of events showcasing evidence, initiatives and solutions to maximize the health benefits of tackling climate change across regions, sectors and communities.

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AFT Features, AFTNews, AFTNews, Features Malaysia

AIA Health and Wellness Study Reveals Malaysians Value Optimism and Gratitude

  • AIA’s “Healthier Together” study reveals eight key ingredients that contribute to Healthier, Longer, Better Lives, with 54% of Malaysian respondents adopting at least four ingredients 
  • Malaysians indicate that having an optimistic outlook is the most essential ingredient that makes up a healthier, longer and better life. 
  • Malaysians look for the positives in everyday situations, and the power of gratitude goes a long way in helping Malaysians achieve this. 

AIA Group Limited (“AIA” or the “Company”: stock code: 1299) has released findings from a ground-breaking research initiative, “Healthier Together”, revealing the eight key ingredients that go into living “Healthier, Longer, Better Lives”. The survey across six Asia-Pacific markets revealed Malaysians have an optimistic outlook on life while looking for the positives in everyday situations through gratitude. 

The study was conducted by global data insights company Kantar Group and involved in-depth interviews with more than 80 experts from a broad spectrum of professional disciplines in Malaysia and across Asia-Pacific. Study findings were then validated through a survey of 6,000 consumers in the region, including 1,500 respondents in Malaysia, which not only identified tangible actions people can take to improve their health and wellness, but significantly, validated the hypothesis that people already taking these actions are at less risk of being negatively impacted by the uncertainties of COVID-19 and a post-COVID world.

In terms of how well Malaysians perform in living Healthier, Longer, Better Lives, just under a third reported high adoption of the eight ingredients with 29% rating themselves as adopting at least seven of the eight ingredients and over half (54%) saying they were achieving four or more.

Malaysians also indicated the relative importance of “having an optimistic outlook” as the most important ingredient in contributing to Healthier, Longer, Better Lives, which aligned with the other five markets surveyed. However, Malaysians also identified “be active and engaged” and being “self-motivated” as the two ingredients most Malaysians need to adopt – indicating a need to remain social, physically and mentally active while improving their ability to find and define their own sense of progress and motivations in life.

Stuart A. Spencer, AIA Group Chief Marketing Officer, said: “The AIA purpose, which underpins everything we do, is to help people live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives. It’s therefore critical to gain a deep understanding of what people can actually do to achieve this, and how we can help them, beyond the obvious steps of exercising, eating healthily and getting sufficient sleep, particularly in the context of COVID-19.” 

Ben Ng, Chief Executive Officer of AIA Bhd. echoed the same sentiments: “In today’s world, it is easy to access information that helps us understand what factors contribute to living a healthy life. However, there is an underlying gap between understanding what leads to a healthy life and knowing what actions help us elevate the way we approach our overall health and wellbeing.”

“Through the study, Malaysians now have a better understanding of what they need to do to live Healthier, Longer and Better and together with the support of our Total Health and Wealth Solutions and our unique behavioural change programme, AIA Vitality – we are fully committed to enabling a better quality of life for all Malaysians.” Ben added. 

A significant body of new insights and data was gathered from interviews with academics, life-coaches, psychologists, mental health experts, influential authors, healthcare representatives and influencers from leading institutions, business and government. 

The study produced eight specific ingredients that are most influential in helping people live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives. These were: 

  1. Have an optimistic outlook: Look for the positive things in everyday situations, not letting negative events of the past affect the present and finding enjoyment in work.
  1. Be active and engaged: Be an active member of your wider community, remain socially active with friends and family, and remain physically and mentally active.
  1. Self-motivate: Focus on your own personal goals, look for ways to make work/tasks/chores more engaging, and see setbacks as learning opportunities.
  1. Understand yourself and your emotions: Understand what motivates you in life, understand what is important to you in life, and understand your limits/strengths/weaknesses.
  1. Feel a sense of independence: Feel confident identifying what is right for you, focus time and energy on things you can control, and be capable of improving your mental health.
  1. Maintain quality relationships: Focus on giving people your full attention, be open and honest with others, and seek out like-minded people who share similar interests.
  1. Never stop learning or exploring: Explore new ideas and engage with new things, challenge your own thinking, and be open to change.
  1. Make time to recharge: Create clear boundaries between work and personal time and find ways to recharge your energy levels.

The survey asked the 6,000 participants across Asia to rate their performance across these criteria. Key findings included: 

  • Across the six markets surveyed in the Asia-Pacific region, an alarming 85% of respondents rated themselves as not sufficiently adopting all eight ingredients, leaving just 15% who believed they are. This group of “high performers” in living Healthier, Longer, Better Lives, reported that COVID-19 had less of a negative impact on their health and wellness efforts than the remaining 85%. 
  • By far, the most important ingredient across all markets was “an optimistic outlook”, which was 2.3 times more common amongst the group of people that scored highest on the survey.
  • A pathway to improved health and wellness and one that is the easiest first step for people to take is “make time to recharge”. 
  • 46% of Malaysians only achieved three or fewer ingredients, indicating that there is a gap between being aware of what helps them live healthier, longer and better and the actual actions to achieving it.
  • By far the most powerful action to improve one’s optimism in Malaysia is to take time to reflect on things you are grateful for. Notably, Malaysia stands out against other markets where gratitude is more important in driving optimism compared to joy.
  • Only 41% of Malaysians state that they are adopting the ingredient “be active and engaged”, while 43% of Malaysians are “self-motivated”, which were the two least adopted among all eight ingredients for Malaysia.

Stuart A. Spencer added: “The findings of this unique piece of research now deliver to us a clear pathway to living Healthier, Longer, Better Lives. Healthier Together identifies real actions people can take to improve their physical and mental well-being, and real clarity about how to live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives, which has never been more important to us all than it is right now.”

The complete findings of the AIA Healthier Together study and survey can be viewed at: www.aia.com.my 

As part of the insurer’s efforts to spur meaningful conversations about health and wellness during these challenging times, AIA recently launched the “Hoping & Coping Through the Pandemic” video series which features AIA’s Global Ambassador David Beckham together with 14 other AIA regional ambassadors including AIA Malaysia’s very own Nicol David – coming together to share their personal experiences and approach to practicing a healthy lifestyle during the pandemic. Check out their candid and heart to heart conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/AIABhdMalaysia/videos 

AFT Features, AFT TV, AFTNews, AFTNews, Editor's Note, Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs), Wellness

Is there a bigger pandemic looming?

Video 1 Comment
The Novel Coronavirus nCoV or COVID-19 has been one of the most widespread diseases so far. With a death rate of 1.52 million people, many believe that this pandemic is the greatest challenge in history. But there is a bigger and far more dangerous disease that has been in our lives for longer.
Photo via Pexels Alex Green

What are NCDs?

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, respiratory diseases and diabetes, are the leading causes of death in the world. They contribute to 71% of global deaths each year. This invisible pandemic causes more death and suffering than COVID-19, year after year. 

NCDs kill approximately 41 million people every year. This is more than the population of Malaysia and Singapore put together! Unfortunately, many people remain unaware of this pandemic that has been wreaking havoc for quite a while now. 

NCDs are diseases which are non-infectious, meaning that they cannot spread from one person to another. They tend to last for a long duration and occur as a result of a combination of:

  • Genetic – Certain diseases such as diabetes, asthma and cancer are genetic, meaning that they can be inherited from parents or ancestors. (We will investigate how certain interventions have shown positive effects in disease management in another feature article later – Ed.) 
  • Physiological Factors – These are factors that are related to a person’s body and can be influenced by genes, lifestyle and other factors. For instance, obesity and high blood pressure are physiological factors. 
  • Environmental Factors – These include factors such as access to clean water, air pollution, sanitation and poverty. 
  • Behavioural Factors – These are factors that are related to an individual’s actions and lifestyle such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol and lack of physical activity. These can be reduced through changes in lifestyle.

The main types of NCDs

  • Cardiovascular diseases (e.g. heart attacks and stroke)
  • Cancer (lung, breast, skin and the like)
  • Chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma 
  • Diabetes 

An indiscriminating disease

Just like COVID-19, NCDs do not discriminate but the most vulnerable are those living in developing countries. Poverty is closely linked with NCDs and increases the risk of death and disability from NCDs.

Each year, WHO reports that 15 million people between the ages of 30 and 69 years die from an NCD, and over 85% of these “premature” deaths occur in developing countries. The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), a leading voice and repository for facts and information on U.S. health-care issues shared in a post published on 29 Jan 2019, “The U.S. Government and Global Non-Communicable Disease Efforts” that chronic diseases in developing countries are not given the importance and attention it deserves (Ed.)

According to WHO (2018), NCDs account for:- 

26.6% of all deaths in Taiwan, 

63% of all deaths in India, 

68% of all deaths in the Philippines,

73% of all deaths in Indonesia, 

74% of all deaths in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand,

More than 80% of all deaths in Fiji, and 

89% of all deaths in China. 

The rate of deaths caused by NCDS are extremely high in Western countries with NCDS accounting for: – 

74% of all deaths in Brazil,

89% of all deaths in the United Kingdom, and 

91% of all deaths in Australia and Italy.

It has been predicted that by 2030, the global average NCD deaths from the total number of deaths would be 75.26%. That’s a whopping two-thirds of total fatality.

Ann Keeling, Chair NCD Alliance and IDF CEO stated “90 million avoidable deaths from NCDs will occur worldwide within the next decade if nothing is done. We’re angry and we want action!” 

The risk factors that increase the chances of NCDs include the person’s lifestyle and environment. 

This includes age, gender, genetics, exposure to pollution, lack of physical activity, smoking tobacco and drinking too much alcohol. 

The rise of NCDs poses devastating health consequences for individuals, families and communities, and threatens to overwhelm health systems. However, most NCDs are considered preventable because they are caused by modifiable risk factors. Having an healthy and active lifestyle such as regular physical activity and nutritious food reduces the likelihood of getting NCDs. 

Countries and other stakeholders have to support a holistic approach to health, which promotes good health and healthy behaviours, prevention of NCDs and accounts for the early detection, diagnosis, management, and treatment of NCDs. 

This article has been researched, compiled and written by the team at Asia Fitness Today; Sneha Ramesh – Intern, Monash University (Sunway campus), Syuhada Adam – Editorial consultant, Nikki Yeo & Jasmine Low – Director/Producer.

Asia Fitness Today has embarked on MISSION 2030 — to halve NCD rates in the Asia Pacific region by 2030. If we could ask if you could please share this article on social media or with someone you know and care about so we can perpetuate this ripples of awareness in the community. It begins with a whisper, a drop in the ocean and slowly, change can happen. It begins with us. Learn more: www.move8.org.

References: 

World Health Organization. (2015, October 5). NCDs, poverty and development. https://www.who.int/global-coordination-mechanism/poverty-and-development/en/

World Health Organization: WHO. (2018, June 1). Noncommunicable diseases. https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, May 26). About Global NCDs | Division of Global Health Protection | Global Health | CDC. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/healthprotection/ncd/global-ncd-overview.html#:%7E:text=NCDs%20kill%2041%20million%20people,out%20of%2010%20deaths%20worldwide.&text=Changing%20social%2C%20economic%2C%20and%20structural,age%20of%2070%E2%80%94each%20year.

Benham, B. (2018, April 5). Poverty Increases Risk of Non-Communicable Diseases in Lower Income Co. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. https://www.jhsph.edu/news/news-releases/2018/poverty-increases-risk-of-non-communicable-diseases-in-lower-income-countries.html

World Health Organisation. (2019, June 12). Noncommunicable diseases. https://www.who.int/health-topics/noncommunicable-diseases#tab=tab_1

World Health Organisation. (n.d.). World Health Organization – Eastern Mediterranean Region. http://www.emro.who.int/noncommunicable-diseases/causes/index.html

Barbosa, I. (2020, April 10). The Invisible Pandemic of NCDs May Now Come To Light. Neill Institute. https://oneill.law.georgetown.edu/the-invisible-pandemic-of-ncds-may-now-come-to-light/

Wang, Y., & Wang, J. (2020). Modelling and prediction of global non-communicable diseases. BMC Public Health, 20, 1-13. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-020-08890-4 

AFT Features, AFTNews, Beauty & Health, Features Singapore, Fitness, Men's Health, Wellness, Women's Health

A moment with Will Skinner, CEO of UFIT Singapore

The CEO of UFIT looks so young you may mistake him for an inexperienced person trying to make it in the fitness industry. However, Will Skinner has more experience than you and I combined. This former professional rugby player brings over his years of rugby experience into the commercial aspect of fitness. Of this, he says “I feel like I never made a switch.”

“Yes, I was in the office a little more, but I was still involved with something I love, and so always want to do my best and expect the best from others,” he added.

He says that there is a lot that can be learned from sports and business, and he doesn’t think his approach to business is any different from during his sports days. “I’m sure all the guys I work with get fed up with me using sporting analogies day-to-day – whether it be recruiting and growing a team or academy like Alex Ferguson or developing our own culture like the All Blacks – sport-to-business synergies and comparisons are endless. If it makes me think I’m managing Manchester United or the All Blacks then I’m happy, too.”

Physical Exercise

The main gym at UFIT Club Street

As for physical exercise, he says “Physical exercise is highly important as part of a wider approach to general health, but it’s also equally important to get the balance right. We encourage everybody to also look at their nutritional journey and that is why we have a team of nutritionists on-hand at every (UFIT) Hub to get you on track. Whether you need advice on weight loss, clinical nutrition or sports nutrition, this type of holistic view of looking at fitness will enable you to ignite that fire and take you to the next level.

However, if you are new or hesitant to begin exercising, don’t despair. Will says that UFIT understands your struggles. All you have to do is to take the first step to go to UFIT and they will help you. “We have the ability and skill to support and guide you and to make that journey fun, so that you want to stick to it and keep coming back for more,” he says.

It may sound dubious to some but don’t let that stop you from getting healthier and fitter as UFIT is systematic and starts from the very basic.

The Approach

Step into UFIT Club Street Hub to begin your transformation journey

UFIT’s approach is not strictly focused on fitness alone but on one’s overall health. They believe that everyone is unique and therefore requires a unique approach accordingly to their needs. It is safe to say that UFIT is not your typical one-size-fits-all gym, but rather one that offers a full end-to-end service.

“Everybody starts with a health consultation with the Hub Manager. This is an in-depth analysis of their body composition and identifies various health metrics to highlight any imbalances in their body and discrepancies in lifestyle. With this data, we are able to suggest an appropriate fitness and wellness plan as we have the best information to plan this person’s journey. Our holistic approach allows us to determine whether we need to take them back to a position of health and/or fitness or to take them to that next level if they are an elite athlete and have the ability to dedicate themselves to a sports performance lifestyle.

Our clients also undertake mobility tests at their first session with a trainer or therapist and this helps to identify imbalances that might impede their progress or that we have to be mindful of.

Everything we do is bespoke and enables us to test and track a person’s progress whatever stage of the journey they are at.”

Injuries

Now, if you have had prior injuries UFIT would be able to assist you too and it is something that Will Skinner knows a lot about as it was a neck injury that put him into early retirement from professional rugby.

“Rehabilitation and recovery have always been a part of our services. Our trainers are highly qualified and take this approach very seriously with regards to ensuring everybody performs exercises correctly, takes time to recover and gets the right level of professional support when needed. We opened our first dedicated Physiotherapy Clinic at Raffles Quay in 2016, went on to open one-north UFIT Clinic in 2017, and Orchard UFIT Clinic in 2018. This allowed us to build a team of the absolute best Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, Sports Massage, Pilates and Rehab specialists in Singapore, on hand at all times to help recharge our clients.

The three new Hub destinations are also carefully structured so that Physio and Rehab services are fully integrated into our offering, with Club Street having nine dedicated treatment rooms within the same building as our fitness studios. Therapists and Trainers share patient notes and can easily refer clients back and forth between teams, using our bespoke UFIT Online Coaching Platform, for the best care they can provide,” says Will.

The male changing room at UFIT Club Street

Founded in 2011, UFIT was set up to deliver a higher level of personal training than what was available in Singapore at the time. Starting with one gym at Amoy Street, it quickly expanded to become the country’s largest independently owned fitness community. The business is multi-award winning and offers Personal Training, indoor and outdoor Group Training, Physiotherapy and sports rehabilitation related services, and Nutrition alongside its other businesses, Youth Academy, Retreats, Education and Corporate Performance.

Recently, the fitness centre celebrated a decade by opening its new integrated Hub at Club Street, Singapore.

AFT Features, AFTNews, Features Singapore, Men's Health, Women's Health

THE UFIT WAY: UFIT Health and Fitness Celebrates A Decade with New Rebrand, Digital Transformation and UFIT Hubs

UFIT Health and Fitness (UFIT), Singapore’s largest independently owned fitness community, celebrates a decade of success with a recommitment to their core beliefs, the consolidation of the outlets into three integrated health and fitness hubs, and UFIT’s ongoing digital transformation. This signifies UFIT’s growth and focus as they move towards providing a higher- quality holistic service for a personalised health experience. 

UFIT’s purpose is to ignite and strengthen the greatness in everyone, and ultimately, to celebrate the journey with each individual. Every member will receive a health consultation to mark a starting point and set goals. After which, clients will be prescribed the best course for each individual – be it a personal trainer, physio, group classes, a personal nutrition plan or a combination of all these services to suit. 

Will Skinner, CEO of UFIT

Will Skinner, CEO at UFIT, says, “After nearly a decade in Singapore, UFIT is at a crossroads where we take stock of where we are and what we need to do to move forward into the new era. Whether it be our clients or our staff, we are creating the very best environment for all those that step through the doors when it comes to achieving results. Our redefined vision and purpose statements are what has led us to make these changes, and these will continue to be the cornerstones of every decision we make going forward.” 

New Hubs 

Committed to offering a high quality, holistic, integrated service, UFIT will be consolidating into integrated Hubs with the first-ever UFIT Hub at 21 Club Street. The integrated Hub will be a one-stop destination for Health and Fitness and will unite UFIT’s core offerings of Personal Training, Group Exercise, Physiotherapy and Nutrition under one roof. Alongside these offerings, the Hubs will also provide clients with access to Sports Medicine, health testing and an indoor-open floor studio. 

Enhancing the entire end to end fitness journey, the Club Street Hub will also see the opening of Burn, a restaurant with a carefully curated food and beverage menu. Burn will feature a wood-fired oven for grilled meats and pizza, salads that will be chargeable by weight, and kombucha on tap. 

UFIT Club Street lobby artistic impression

The Club Street outlet will be the first of three Hubs that UFIT operates. This destination will see the merging of UFIT’s iconic Amoy Street location, the Clinic at Raffles Quay, and the personal training arm of UFIT’s Tanjong Pagar site. 

Two further Hubs have been created at existing sites at Orchard, linking up UFIT Orchard and UFIT Clinic Orchard, and in the West with UFIT One-North and UFIT Clinic One-North. 

UFIT’s Digital Transformation 

With the integrated Hubs, UFIT will be optimised for data collection to better aid members’ fitness journeys. UFIT will have a bespoke Online Coaching platform that will enable UFIT trainers and professionals to better guide and influence clients on their fitness journey, as well as tools such as full-body scanners and health and performance screenings. Using the data collected, trainers will be able to advise clients better, giving them more individual insights on their clients, and allowing them to better tailor the offerings. 

Furthermore, UFIT will begin offering a credit-based system on their app, enabling clients to purchase credits directly via the app and redeemed across any classes in the Group Training portfolio, including outdoor Bootcamps and Indoor classes at the Club Street studio. 

“As we move to integrate our services under one roof, we want to showcase the best that UFIT has to offer and help create the right environment for our team to ‘Ignite their client’s Greatness!’”, said Dean Ahmad, COO and Co-Founder of UFIT. 

UFIT was founded in 2011 in Singapore with one personal training gym on Amoy Street, and quickly expanded to become the country’s largest independently owned fitness community. The business is multi-award winning and offers Personal Training, indoor and outdoor Group Training, Physiotherapy and sports rehabilitation related services, and Nutrition alongside its other businesses, Youth Academy, Retreats, Education and Corporate Performance. 

AFTNews, Fitness, Fitness at Work, Men's Health, Wellness, Women's Health

Iconic and Innovative Babel Opens in KLCC

First of all, let us be clear – Babel is not a gym although you can be forgiven for thinking it is so. The health and wellness club commemorated its grand opening at the iconic KLCC recently with the theme “Carnival in the Jungle”.

Now, before you start thinking “not another stupid idea for a theme” let me explain why this in itself is a stroke of genius. One, Babel KLCC is located smack in the middle of the concrete jungle. Yes, there are parks nearby but nevertheless it’s still right in the middle of Kuala Lumpur’s city centre.

Second, Babel brings nature to you. Honest to goodness when you’re in the gym, walking on that treadmill, that plant you see in front of you is not plastic. Those are real-life plants that are taken care of by Babel’s own botanist. How’s that for the extra shot of oxygen while you work out?

Babel KLCC entrance

Meanwhile, Babel’s shower and locker area could entice you to stay there forever. Aside from the awesome infrared sauna or the shower cubicles kitted out with Good Virtues Co. products, it is simply the dressing area that makes you feel at home. Honestly, if there was a bed installed I would probably never leave. Or maybe I just want to luxuriate my hair with those Dyson hairdryers.

Ok, despite looking ultra expensive and unaffordable, Babel KLCC’s fees are actually surprisingly manageable. This is in consideration of its location, design and the classes offered at the centre.

https://www.australiafitnesstoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/VID_20190816_163134.mp4?_=1

There are a multitude of classes offered at the centre, beginning at 7am until 9.30pm. Classes offered ranges from HIIT to Animal Flow to Suspension, a body weight exercise. Click here to find out more about their classes.

Founder Tan Boon Yao speaking at the launch

At the launch, Founder of Babel Tan Boon Yao says, “There are three pillars to health: Food, Fitness and Feels, all of which, contribute equally to your experience. That’s what we believe an experience is.”

“When it comes to food, we’ve joined forces through our strategic partnership with one of the best superfoods restaurants, La Juiceria Superfoods, making this the first health and wellness club in the country with its very own, full-fledged in-house restaurant.”

“Fitness speaks of our commitment to holistic physical training through our range of classes and cutting-edge equipment. The classes offered hopes to fill a much needed niche in the market whereby customers have access to a one-stop facility that fulfils exercise, rehabilitation and recovery. Feels speaks for itself; every corner of this space is harmonized to produce an environment that fosters a healthy mind and body,” added Tan.

Tan’s belief is that wellness isn’t merely a single tracked pursuit but instead requires a multi-faceted approach, taking into consideration the various aspects of health.

Through Babel’s myriad of classes and personal training options, clients will be under the tutelage of experienced PTA Certified professional trainers, providing unrivalled training accredited through scientific research adhering to an internationally accepted standard. Furthermore, clients who are interested to pursue a career in personal training are welcomed to enlist in the Babel Training Academy, where they too can achieve PTA Certification through Babel.

For more information on Babel, please visit the club’s official website and information portal at https://www.babel.fit/, or stay tuned to their official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/babel.fit/ and Instagram page @babel.fit for other exciting updates and announcements.

AFTNews, Beauty & Health, Corporate Wellness, Fitness Getaways, Wellness

Hong Kong’s Most Influential Wellness and Fitness Leaders to Gather at the Asia Fitness & Wellness Summit

Asia’s only business network for the fitness and wellness industry, FIT Summit, will connect business leaders from across Asia on 25 September at the Mira Hotel, Hong Kong.

The exclusive thought leadership and business development conference will bring together 225 leaders from fitness and wellness brands to meet one another and the corporate wellness community to discuss topics like growth strategy, emerging business trends, new markets, future investment and collaboration.

The Asia Fitness & Wellness Summit will share insights and perspective from 30 leading businessmen and women across the fitness and wellness ecosystem. Confirmed speakers include:

Adam Sedlack, Co-Founder & President, UFC Gym
Andrea Lomas, Group Head, Spa, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
Christy Cao, Founder, Chairman & CEO, Powerhouse Gym
Danny Yeung, Co-Founder & CEO, Prenetics Group
Heather Thomas Shalabi, Founder, Flex Studio
John Gillman, Head, Health Solutions (APAC), Fitbit
Knattapisit Krutkrongchai, Chief Marketing Officer, AIA Hong Kong and Macau
Laurie Mias, Founder & CEO, REVĪVŌ Wellness Resorts
Mignonne Chen, Vice President and Head of Wellness, J.P Morgan
Rey Bolivar, COO, Will’s Group
Scott Montgomery, Founder and CEO, WellteQ
Sean Tan, Director, True Fitness / True Yoga / TFX

AFTNews, Beauty & Health

Keepland Designed by Eight Inc. Launches in Beijing

Experience design firm Eight Inc. has designed a flagship gym experience for digital fitness startup, Keep.

Following a period of rapid growth, Keep recognized the needs of its 185 million maturing users were evolving. With Keepland, Eight Inc. has imagined an exciting, active world where the physical and digital combine to form a mono-channel experience. This experience offers users seamless new ways to follow expert fitness guidance and connect face-to-face with like-minded users.

China’s sports and fitness market was worth $216 billion in 2016 and by 2025 should exceed $725 billion

“The future of commerce is not omnichannel but mono-channel. The omnichannel approach is old news. Today we are not thinking in physical and digital, it should be a holistic mono-channel experience.” – Tim Kobe, Founder and CEO, Eight Inc.

The fitness economy in China is on track for a boom with app creators running to take the lead. China’s sports and fitness market was worth $216 billion in 2016 and by 2025 should exceed $725 billion, according to a report published by The Economist and sponsored by the Chinese sportswear giant Anta Sports.

The Keepland experience is focused around two materially and visually distinct zones – Community and Workout

Located at landmark Qianmen development Beijing Fun, the Keepland experience is focused around two materially and visually distinct zones—Community and Workout. Inside the atmospheric, LED-lit Workout zone, users can follow the coach’s moves closely on multiple screens. Results are later relayed into the Community Zone, where friends can discuss performance over a refreshment as they relax post-workout. By hosting a range of workshops and meet-ups, this flexible zone allows Keep’s online community to further extend and develop offline.

“Keepland perfectly complements the digital app that has made Keep so successful, making for a complete fitness experience with a strong social aspect. In bringing together data, technology, content, brand and the physical environment, it offers Keep’s community of like-minded individuals a seamless way to take their passion to the next level.” – Alan Lin, Managing Director for China, Eight Inc.

With a rapid rollout across China anticipated, Eight Inc. has taken a modular approach to all wall panels, fixtures and furniture that can scale and adapt to different sizes of environment. The firm has also used architecture, materials and wall graphics to reflect and amplify the Keep brand culture throughout.

Keepland fully integrates Keep’s digital capabilities into the physical environment

Keepland fully integrates Keep’s digital capabilities into the physical environment. Users browse and sign up for classes using the digital app. On arrival, they are met not at the traditional desk, but at a sign-in wall where they scan a QR code before collecting their heart-rate monitor. After their workout, they can connect and follow each other’s results on the app, as well as on Keepland’s multiple screens.

Since it launched in 2015, Keep’s digital app has galvanized an active community of 185m users around the idea that ‘self-discipline creates true freedom’, providing them with a hub where they can connect and express themselves online. The company’s rapid growth has seen it become a major influencer and contributor to the rising awareness of life quality in China.

Eight Inc. is a global creative collective that specializes in designing innovative, integrated human experiences. Its 200+ business creatives and strategic designers collaborate across 11 studios, 7 time zones, and 3 continents. The firm celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

Fitness

Should you exercise on an empty stomach?

Exercising on an empty stomach may be able to burn fat faster but there are processes your body goes through to achieve this.

Exercising your body is good for your health and aids in weight loss. However, does exercising on an empty stomach burn more fat at a faster rate?

When you exercise after a period of fasting, your body falls back on some backup mechanisms to ensure your body has enough fuel to sustain you during your workout.

When exercising on an empty stomach, your body will first draw fuel from the sugar store. This is not stored sugar.

When the available sugar store has been used up, your body will turn its focus to stored fats or muscle protein. It’s not as scary as it sounds. Your stored fat will be turned into sugar, which helps fuel your workout. The same process happens to the protein taken from your muscles.

It is because of this process that the theory of burning more fat at a faster rate started. There are researches on healthy young men regarding this. One research found that stored fat are used faster during aerobic activities when done on an empty stomach. This is due to the reaction of the body towards low insulin levels that happens during a fasting period.

Another study found that exercising on an empty stomach produces changes your metabolism so that your body is able to use insulin more effectively. This could prevent or delay diabetes.

Yet there are no conclusions on whether exercising on an empty stomach can enable you to lose weight faster as studies on these are few.

There was a study that observed 19 young men who exercised during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan when people fast from sunrise to sunset. While everyone did lose weight but those who exercised more lost just slightly more weight and body fat.

William Kormos, the editor in chief of Harvard Men’s Health Watch suggest that one should not be thinking too much about working out on an empty and simply focus on your regular exercise routine.