Weight-loss, fitness industries feel the pain of the recession

Wednesday 12, Aug 2009 - In October, Richard Polisner, a longtime Jacksonville podiatrist, opened up the Kinetic Weight Loss clinic on Atlantic Boulevard.

Polisner spent months researching the market, determining if people would pay for his services. He charged $45 a week for checkups to keep people on track to shedding pounds.

"The need is there and the numbers are there, and we were having success helping people lose weight," he said. "It was working."

Unfortunately, not enough people signed up. He said he had only about 15 clients and by January, he was out of business. Polisner said the weight of the recession was too tough to bear.

"Most people feel that their own personal health is discretionary," he said. "I personally don't feel that way, but others see it as something they can cut out of their budget."

The tough economy hasn't spared the weight-loss industry as consumers have decided to tighten their budgets rather than their waistlines.

In the past two years, Weight Watchers saw its stock price fall by 40 percent while NutriSystem saw a 70 percent decline during the same period. The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, a nonprofit group, also reports that gym memberships have been on a continuous decline since 2007.

Source:http://www.jacksonville.com/business/2009-08-12/story/weight_loss_fitness_industries_feel_the_pain_of_the_recession