Exercise is a powerful medium to positively affect women’s mental and physical health. Next to walking, aerobic classes are the second most popular form of exercise for American women with 23 million women participating per year (National Sporting Goods Association, 2001). Many studies have examined the effects of aerobic exercise, but much less research has explored aerobic classes. In literature reviewed, no studies were found that examined perhaps the most consequential aspect of aerobic classes-- the health messages conveyed in aerobic classrooms by aerobic instructors. The purpose of this study is to understand the content and delivery of health messages in aerobic classes for women. This qualitative research explored the practices of five aerobic instructors working at nonprofit or wellness focused facilities. The participants ranged in age from 23 to 53 years with various levels of experience ranging from two to 25 years of aerobic instructing. Audiotapes from semi-structured interviews and two to three classes taught by each aerobic instructor were transcribed verbatim. Data from fieldnotes and transcriptions were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Member checks were used where the aerobic instructors were sent an outline of findings to provide feedback to the researcher. Aerobic classes, like schools, workplaces, and health care facilities, are often untapped sites of health education. Beyond safety and injury prevention, little information about the preventative health benefits of exercise was communicated by aerobic instructors. Most of the health messages present were focused on physical health with minimal attention to other components of wellness. Only one instructor mentioned the effects of physical activity in the prevention of disease. The two more experienced aerobic instructors were more skilled at integrating health and wellness information into aerobic classes. Despite the health oriented missions of both facilities, the aerobic classes observed were not sites of health education where information about health and wellness was communicated. The focus on physical health outcomes neglects other components of wellness. In order to be considered sites of health education, aerobic classes need to include content relating to health that include attention to intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual and environmental health. Learner objectives: 1) attendees will learn that aerobic classes are untapped sites of health education
Keywords: Aerobic classes, health education, wellness.