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Vivienne Chow

Traditional exercise still best option, says Consumer Council

Passive workouts with 'horse-riding' machines and massage belts are not as effective as traditional exercises and a balanced diet, the Consumer Council has warned.

It also urged people to get medical advice before using them.

A maker of slimming belts hit back, however, claiming its products were popular and effective.

The council said that, according to the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association and the Hong Kong Orthopaedic Association, the horse-riding machines  imitated a form of mild aerobic exercise, with users exercising their  abdominal and thigh muscles to keep their seats while the machine moved.

But the effectiveness of such machines - which sell for $6,000 and $15,000 - depended on the design, speed and degree of simulated actions. Intensity and frequency of application, and whether the machine was used correctly could also affect the results.

The council  received three complaints this year about the effectiveness of slimming belts, which are powered by an electric motor, compared with two last year.

Larry Kwok Lam-kwong, chairman of the council's  publicity and community relations committee, said the belts were of no use in losing weight or trimming the figure.

'The belts provide only passive exercise - the effect in burning excess body fat is none to minimal,' Mr Kwok said.

But a maker of slimming belts, OTO, insisted they were effective and said results of a study would be announced soon.

'We have been seeing strong growth in the sales of our belts and customers return to buy them only if they think they are good,' said an OTO spokeswoman.

She declined to say how many belts had been sold, saying it was too early  because the belt was launched only six months ago.

'But it's one of our strongest products,' she said. 'The number of complaints the Consumer Council received is small and too many bad belts imitating our design are around to confuse consumers.'

The council urged the elderly, especially those who  did not exercise regularly or  had long-term illness, the very young and people with spinal problems or impaired neuromuscular co-ordination, to be careful and seek medical advice before using a horse-riding machine.

As for slimming belts, pregnant women, people taking long-term medications, or those suffering from tumours, heart disease or back disorders should consult a doctor before using them.

The council also warned people  not to use too much slimming food products because they contained laxative anthraquinones - compounds that stimulate bowel movements. Of  27 samples tested, all contained laxative.



Slimmers warned not to rely on workout devices