A top fitness industry trade association and some of its member gyms are promoting the message that health clubs nationwide are “safe and are not contributing to the spread of covid-19” based on the conclusions of a study that experts in public health and research methods say was methodologically flawed and open to conflicts of interest.

The study was conducted by MXM, a company that helps health clubs understand and manage their member experience, in partnership with the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). According to MXM’s methodology page, more than 2,800 gyms nationwide submitted self-reported data on the number of member visits and cases of the novel coronavirus linked to their facilities from May through early August. Only 1,155 positive cases were reported out of about…READ MORE @ The Washington Post

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