Mental and physical health: Free access to these gyms for teens this summer

Teens have free access to Planet Fitness gyms this summer so they can stay active during the months they don’t have physical education classes.

To help improve physical and mental health, the company will open 2,400 gyms across the United States and Canada that are free to all youth between the ages of 14 and 19, CNN reported Sunday.

• Listen to a teacher talk about the importance of sport for young people at the microphone of Philippe-Vincent Foisy QUB-Radio :

The policy aims to encourage young people to be active year-round in a “fun, safe and non-judgmental” environment, the company said in a press release last week.

Because according to the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 22% of 12- to 19-year-olds in the United States are obese, and nearly 29% of high school students live with mental health problems.

But according to a study in the British Medical Journal published in 2020, physical activity can greatly help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in young people.

“Research shows that teenagers have issues with overall well-being, and that’s one of the many reasons why the High School Summer Pass program is so important,” says Planet Fitness CEO Chris Rondo.

Last year, more than 3.5 million young adults participated in the program, according to Planet Fitness data.