Zerodha’s Nithin Kamath flags health concern: ‘Only 0.2% of Indians hit the gym’

Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath on Monday shared data on the ‘gym membership adoption rate’ claiming that only 0.2 per cent of India’s population (50 lakh people) are engaged in gym activities. Sharing the data of World of Statistics on the percentage of the population of different countries that go to the gym, Kamath tweeted, “Most Indians think that you don’t need strength training as you age. The truth is strength training becomes even more critical as we get older, especially after our 40s. The stronger we are, the more active we can be when we are older.”

Notably, the data shows Norway and Sweden lead the list, with 22 per cent of their population going to the gym. Among the 30-odd countries, India is placed at the bottom of the list in terms of gym-goers (0.2 per cent).

“Strength training is integral to increasing healthspan and we need more to focus on this,” the Zerodha CEO said.

Kamath said research consistently demonstrates how exercise surpasses any other intervention in terms of “delaying death and preventing cognitive and physical decline”.

Sharing a picture of an open-air located at a park in Bengaluru, Kamath expressed his delight at the significance of such facilities as they help introduce the idea of exercise to individuals who may feel intimidated by traditional gyms or are unable to afford them.

“It is heartening to see open-air gyms coming up in public parks in Bengaluru,” he said.

Explaining the benefits of exercise for maintaining overall health, Kamath said after the age of 40, both men and women can experience a depletion of bone mass at a rate of one per cent a year. Moreover, Kamath stressed the significance of strength training, particularly for women, as they are more susceptible to bone density loss compared to men.

Kamath advised starting with the basics and gradually increasing the intensity to maintain strength. He said gym attendance is not necessary for effective “strength training”.

Instead, people can engage in yoga or follow a simple free-hand exercise routine consisting of push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and crunches, as these exercises alone can provide sufficient benefits.