Weight and watch : Sauna belt sales are on the rise

Goutam Mitra, a Mumbai-based chartered accountant, was concerned that he was putting on weight. However, he kept ignoring his obesity until a close relative told him that his belly was literally hanging out. “He suggested that I use a sauna belt, which would reduce my waistline within hours,” recalls Mitra. After two weeks, Mitra developed a scar around his belly and he had to discard the equipment on a doctor’s advice.

Mitra’s experience does not come as a surprise in the face of teeming advertisements in print and broadcast media that eulogise the beneficial effects of any number of fitness equipment. Chic models and leggy blondes provide adequate enticement for aspiring beauty queens and fitness freaks to lay their hands on the cheapest equipment available.

Explains Dr Laila Das, head of the department of sports medicine at the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Calcutta, “A common problem with many people in this city is that they are couch potatoes who want to achieve everything easily. So they fall prey to dubious fitness equipment that are advertised on television.”

One such equipment that has been eliciting complaints from consumers is the sauna belt. Fitness experts emphatically point out that using sauna belts do not help in reducing weight in the long run. “Sauna belts generate heat that leads to sweating and at best can bring about a temporary reduction of girth,” explains Preetom Mukherjee Roy, fitness consultant, Solace Spa and Gym in south Calcutta. He says that the apparent reduction of girth is only because of water loss and any water intake automatically reverts it to the original state. “For women, sauna belts can be problematic. Medical studies show that too much heat in the lower abdominal area can cause problems in pregnancy,” points out Mukherjee Roy.

The sauna belt is not the only equipment whose effectiveness is questioned. The treadmill too is becoming ubiquitous in households. However, many individuals in their zeal to burn off calories raise the incline and walk as fast as possible. “This is inadvisable since random use of the treadmill can lead to dehydration,” notes Dr Manab Bhattacharya, sports medicine specialist and scientific officer at the SAI, Calcutta.

However, sales of all kinds of fitness equipment seem to be on the rise and sauna belts, especially, seem to be selling like hot cakes. “On an average we are selling 60 of them every month,” says D.K. Mahapatra, general manager of Castlewood (India), a fitness equipment store in Calcutta. One of the reasons for its popularity, it seems, is an affordable price tag. Available for anything between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000, Mahapatra feels that these belts provide an ideal opportunity for people with a busy lifestyle to work out at home to shed weight and keep fit. Treadmills are also popular although more expensive. A manual treadmill costs between Rs 6,500 and Rs 15,000 and the price of an electrical treadmill can vary from Rs 22,000 to Rs 4 lakh. Cautions Dr Laila Das of SAI, “It is very important for people to seek a specialist’s opinion before making an investment in expensive fitness equipment. In many cases, advertisements are misleading with quick fix remedies that can prove counterproductive to the fitness goals of a consumer.”

Jibok Mukherjee, consultant at Pro Rehab Physiotherapy Clinic in Calcutta, says that a person intent on using a treadmill should make sure that he has attained a requisite fitness level. “A treadmill is good fitness equipment but one has to know how to use it properly to reap benefits,” he says.

Gagan Sachdeva, director of Bodyline Sports, a fitness equipment store in Calcutta, mentions that his firm is very particular about only stocking well-tested fitness equipment. “Bodyline Sports does not stock sauna belts. New things are coming up but people should be prudent enough to exercise their own judgement while purchasing equipment,” he says.

For those who have been misled by advertisements and have already suffered, what is the method of redressal? Prabir Basu, a consumer lawyer in Calcutta, says that Section II(r) of the Consumer Protection Act prevents unfair trade practice and an aggrieved consumer can approach a consumer court if he feels that the equipment has not delivered the expected or promised effect. “Both the company and the dealer can be prosecuted,” he notes. Debashish Ghosh, law officer of the West Bengal Consumer Affairs Department, adds that an individual could also complain to the Advertising Standards Council of India if he feels that an advertisement is misleading.

Some dealers do interact with their customers before selling fitness equipment. Adeep Kapoor, partner of G.K. Sports in Calcutta, stresses that he interacts directly with customers to provide proper advice. “The fitness industry in India is booming and the sale of fitness equipment is on the rise,” he observes. However, most experts feel that for the product concerned, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Things to remember

Treat advertisements on fitness equipment with discretion.

Always seek a specialist’s opinion before buying any equipment.

Even in a gym, make sure that the equipment you are using is supervised by certified trainers.

While using any fitness equipment, make it a point to follow the guidelines provided.