Zumba costs ACC $708,000 in 2 years

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Zumba costs ACC $708,000 in 2 years

3News NZ

Zumba originated in Colombia but the craze spread worldwide (Reuters)

Zumba originated in Colombia but the craze spread worldwide (Reuters)

By Adam Hollingworth

Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) figures show fitness craze Zumba is more dangerous than it appears.

While at least one district health board is promoting Zumba as a way of losing weight, in two years ACC has received more than 1600 claims for Zumba-related injuries. Those injuries – mostly to knees, lower backs and ankles – have cost about $750,000.

Zumba originated in Colombia but the craze spread worldwide, and it has worked. Two years ago, Toa Pani told Campbell Live, thanks to Zumba, her dress size dropped from a 55 to a 24.

Add Zumba to all the other styles, and dancing costs ACC as much as mountain-biking.

“What it really reinforces is the need for people to be warming up properly, making sure they're in the right physical shape,” says John Beaglehole of ACC. “Just like any physical activity, don't get out there and do something that's crazy. But you know, physical activity's great.”

Some question the credentials of instructors. A former Zumba instructor told 3 News he wasn't surprised at the figures, saying most instructors aren't qualified – training is a one-day course and a 30-page handbook. He even knew of a Zumba class taught in the back of a fruit shop.

Zumba may cost ACC almost $400,000 a year, but that's nothing compared to rugby, with an average of $50 million a year over the past six years.

“Every time that someone starts a physical activity or a programme a sport, you have some type of risk of getting injured,” says Zumba instructor Carolina Arias. “If you look at that number in comparison to sports like rugby, it's a $300 million claim. So Zumba is little compared to that.”

Auckland District Health Board gave start up funding to the hugely popular classes in South Auckland two years ago, and a spokesman said they still see them as a positive step to promoting healthy lifestyles.

3 News

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Comments

27/09/2012 6:07:46 p.m.

SalsaFitness wrote:

I am the founder and creator of SalsaFitness before it was outed by Zumba - it was obvious that Zumba was dangerous even for me who has been a salsa dancer and instructor of SalsaFitness for years; which I made very safe for all ages of people ie no jumping, or harsh jerky movements. I've stopped teaching as couldn't compete with the Zumba craze, but have made these lessons free on www.salsafitness.co.nz for anyone to use anytime

27/09/2012 3:40:13 p.m.

Divadays wrote:

ALAN HALL: Did you not read the whole story?? A few hundred thousand for Zumba related (likely minor) injuries compared to $50 MILLION for injuries related to RUGBY. I love rugby, it is great, HOWEVER, the cost to the country is MASSIVE, and all these people who are using this ACC system don't often pay a dime (or min) and it is the registrations of motorbikes (yes, I hear you Alan), cars, and levies etc etc etc... people bash beneficiaries for wasting money....come on, let's hear your views on this....

27/09/2012 9:01:03 a.m.

Joan Worthington wrote:

So $50million for Rugby claims and $400,000 for Zumba. Yet the Zumba claims make the headlines. Amazing. Please think of how many people are staying out of the doctors waiting room and hospitals due to keeping themselves fit and well. Carry on Zumba pepes.

26/09/2012 2:12:55 p.m.

Brent wrote:

In 1991 a conservative estimate of the health care costs attributable to obesity for the six conditions (non-insulin dependent diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, gallstone disease, post-menopausal breast cancer and colon cancer ) was NZ$135 million. This represents about 2.5% of total health care costs.

So $270 million in 2 years

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9347407

What causes overweight and obesity?
Overweight and obesity are the result of a positive energy balance - that is, a long term excess of energy intake (food and beverage consumption) over energy expenditure (basal metabolic rate, physical activity).

Although some people are more genetically susceptible to weight gain than others, the rapid increase in the prevalence of obesity in recent years has occurred too quickly to be explained by genetic changes and most experts believe it is due to living in an increasingly ‘obesogenic’ environment - one that promotes over-consumption of food and drinks and limits opportunities for PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/obesity/obesity-questions-and-answers

26/09/2012 1:01:07 p.m.

alan hall wrote:

And the government doubled the registration on motor bikes because of so called claims on acc. They devalued all our bikes at the stroke of a pen and forced a lot of guys off the road. I hope they are going to charge the sumbas a fee for acc.Don't hold your breath!!!

26/09/2012 12:35:39 p.m.

vladan wrote:

How much rugby costs ACC? Shell we stop plaing Rugby too?

26/09/2012 12:17:03 p.m.

B wrote:

Zumba is great-I LOVE it. I am much fitter now thanks to Zumba, it incorporatess dance into my workout-which is why I love it so much. It is improtant to warm up properly before doing any form of physical activity, though, including Zumba. Zumba's awesome! Join the party! :)

26/09/2012 10:18:03 a.m.

ACC double standards wrote:

VERY VERY CHEAP compared to what ACC pay their own henchmen to write jacked-up biased reports to get vulnerable claimants off their books. ACC hypocrisy yet again.

26/09/2012 8:08:59 a.m.

jan wrote:

No wonder this country is in the finacial poo. Maybe for every class there should be a $1 levy to be paid to ACC to pay for these people.

26/09/2012 4:06:17 a.m.

alison wrote:

Govt trying to tell us to stop exercising now then? Nanny state