Using Storytelling to Make Physical Activity Research Accessible to the Public [Podcast Series]
[:56] Dr. Bantham introduces her guest, Gretchen Reynolds
Gretchen Reynolds is the Phys Ed Columnist for the New York Times.
She is also the author of the book, The First 20 Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How We Can Exercise Better, Train Smarter, and Live Longer.
[1:20] Writing about exercise, exercise science, and physical activity
“And it certainly hadn't covered the science of fitness and physical activity and what it means to be fit, and what scientists were learning about how our bodies really work and how we can help them to work better. And I think one of the things that I learned and that the New York Times editors learned was that there was just a boundless well of enthusiasm for that information among our readers.”
[5:01] Choosing studies to write about
“[T]here are a couple of topics that I always know will interest Times readers and interest me. And that includes issues like exercise and the brain. That's of enormous interest to people, because there's so little that can be done medically to protect our brains, to allow us to think and remember as we get older. And it does look like exercise can play a role in that and the science is really interesting. Exercise and weight is invariably of interest, even if the studies don't show that exercise is effective for weight. I'm always looking for studies that can advance our understanding of what exercise does and doesn't do.”
[9:14] Honing the talent to write about exercise science
“So the goal is to not dumb down the science because I don't think...People out there are not dumb, they want to understand, again, how their bodies work. So explain the science in the simplest possible terms without losing the important aspects of what made the study interesting.”
[12:37] Storytelling about physical activity and exercise science
“But figuring out how this topic, how this—the whole arena of physical activity— how important it is for our lives, that is, there are stories in all of that and that is what sticks to people. That's how they can remember this information and figure out how to apply it to their lives. So, so yes, I think of myself as a storyteller whose subject matter happens to be physical activity and exercise science.”
[15:45] Physical activity and enjoyment
“I think both the evidence and real life anecdotal evidence are pretty clear that what does get people to get up and move is one to remind them it will make them feel better, they will enjoy it.”
[18:48] Physical activity and longer, healthier lives
“And the more we understand that, I think and hope the more people will want to just move, just to improve their chances of having a longer, healthier life, and the chances that their children will have a longer and healthier life.”
[23:35] Physical activity and accessibility
“But the science and the most recent guidelines make it quite clear that movement is movement, your body really doesn't care how you do it. And if we can remind people that just any kind of activity that is not sitting in your chair and staring at a screen is going to be good for your body. And if people understand that, I think they become, they begin to feel more capable of being active because they already are.”
[27:33] Individual response to exercise
“Our bodies will respond—and the science is very clear—they will respond to exercise, but they may respond differently than your spouse or training partner does. So experiment until you find something you like doing that is just fun.”
