Future-Proof Fitness: Healthy Ageing in 2040

Future-Proof Fitness: Healthy Ageing in 2040

In my previous blog post, we delved into the future of fitness in 2030, focusing specifically on running. We explored how technology is transforming this activity, envisioning a world where AI-driven wearables, virtual reality (VR) marathons, and energy-harvesting running gear enhance the running experience. These advancements promised to not only optimise performance, but also to make running more inclusive and engaging, fostering community connections and promoting overall health.

As we look forward to 2040, my focus shifts from running to the broader topic of healthy ageing within the fitness industry. This transition stems from a personal epiphany: in 16 years, I will be 37 years old, an age when the relevance of healthy ageing becomes increasingly significant. This realisation has inspired me to envision a future where fitness is tailored to the needs of ageing populations, ensuring that they remain active, healthy, and engaged.

The aim of this blog post is to explore the future of healthy ageing in 2040 using Wendell Bell’s framework, which considers possible, probable, and preferable futures. This model will help us examine the potential developments and challenges in promoting fitness and wellbeing among older adults, guided by technological advancements and societal trends.

Wendell Bell’s Framework

Wendell Bell’s futures framework provides a method for examining the future, applicable to understanding changes in healthy ageing. Bell divides the future into three categories: possible, probable, and preferable futures, each offering perspectives on the evolution of fitness for older adults.

• Possible Futures: Scenarios that could happen, encouraging expansive thinking beyond current trends. For healthy ageing, this includes AI and robotic systems providing personalised fitness training and innovative home gym technologies making exercise more accessible for older adults.
• Probable Futures: Scenarios likely to happen based on current trends and data. For healthy ageing, this involves widespread adoption of wearable health monitors, integrated health apps, and virtual fitness communities supporting older adults to stay active.
• Preferable Futures: Scenarios we hope to achieve based on values and aspirations. For healthy ageing, this involves creating inclusive fitness programs and community initiatives promoting holistic health, ensuring older adults maintain independence, social connections, and well-being.

By applying Bell’s model, we can envision how the fitness industry might support healthy ageing in 2040, leveraging technology and fostering a culture of wellness.

Possible Futures

In 2040, technological advancements like AI-driven personalised fitness solutions, immersive virtual reality environments, and smart home technologies open up a realm of possibilities for engaging and accessible exercise experiences tailored to older adults’ needs. AI-driven systems might provide personalised fitness plans, leveraging machine learning algorithms to continuously adapt to the user’s progress and health data. For example, AI could predict when an older adult is at risk of overexertion and dynamically adjust the intensity of the workout. This not only optimises safety but also enhances the effectiveness of the exercise regimen. Wearable devices could track comprehensive health metrics, providing valuable data to optimise fitness routines. Picture a future where older adults use augmented reality glasses that display real-time health metrics and virtual exercise environments. Home gyms equipped with AI personal trainers could adjust workouts based on individual performance and health data, ensuring safe and effective exercise sessions. For example, companies like Peloton are already experimenting with AI-driven workout recommendations, which could evolve into fully personalised fitness plans by 2040.

Additionally, robotic fitness assistants could demonstrate exercises, correct form, and provide motivation, reducing the risk of injury and enhancing the exercise experience. Innovations in genetic and bio-mechanical enhancements might also come into play, allowing older adults to maintain their physical capabilities and recover more quickly from injuries, promoting a more active lifestyle. These advancements align with the subject concept of integrating technology into daily life to enhance human capabilities and provide personalised health solutions.

Probable Futures

Based on current trends, wearable health monitors, fitness apps, and virtual fitness communities are likely to become increasingly prevalent in the fitness landscape for older adults by 2040. By considering these probable futures, we can predict the integration of data-driven health management and holistic support for exercise, nutrition, and mental well-being. According to Statista, the global wearable device market is expected to reach $118.16 billion by 2028, with the fitness and wellness segment being a significant driver. Additionally, an Accenture study found that 84% of health consumers are willing to use wearable technology to manage their health, supporting the prediction of increased adoption of wearables and health apps. Wearable health monitors and integrated health apps will become central to daily fitness routines, tracking various health metrics and providing personalised recommendations for a more proactive and data-driven approach to health management. Currently, Fitbit and Apple Watch are popular among older adults for tracking health metrics. Studies have shown that these devices can increase physical activity levels and improve health outcomes.

Older adults will increasingly rely on technology to manage their health, with wearables monitoring vital signs and providing alerts for potential health issues, while fitness apps offer holistic support for exercise, nutrition, and mental well-being. These trends align with the Future Cultures concept of “cyberculture,” where technology is deeply integrated into daily life, as well as the role of technology in extending human capabilities through wearable devices and AI-driven health monitoring.

Preferable Futures

In an ideal future, fitness for older adults will be inclusive, accessible, and focused on promoting overall well-being. Policies and community initiatives will foster social connections and support networks, while human-AI partnerships will enhance the fitness experience through personalised training and inclusive technologies. Programs will cater to diverse abilities and promote overall well-being, ensuring that everyone can participate regardless of their fitness level. This vision aligns with the emphasis on ethical considerations in the development of AI and technology, as well as the potential of AI to augment human abilities and improve society. Policies will support the development and accessibility of fitness technologies and programs (eg. Government subsidies). Community initiatives will foster social connections and support networks, offering tailored fitness classes and health workshops for older adults. This aligns with the role of futures studies in shaping preferable futures and guiding decision-making towards desired outcomes. Technology will play a crucial role in creating inclusive fitness solutions. AI-driven personal trainers, VR exercise environments, and wearable health monitors will enhance the fitness experience, making it more engaging and effective while promoting inclusivity and accessibility. This supports the concept of “human-AI partnerships,” where AI augments human abilities rather than replaces them entirely. Additionally, sustainable and ethically produced fitness technologies will ensure that older adults can trust and rely on these innovations, promoting long-term health and well-being.

Looking beyond 2040, we must continue to innovate and advocate for inclusive fitness technologies. Let’s work together to create a future where every individual, regardless of age, has the opportunity to stay active and healthy.

Images:

1. Generated by DallE, depicting the possible, probable, and preferable futures for healthy ageing within the fitness industry in 2040.
2. Generated by DallE, which depicts AI-Driven Personalised Fitness Plans, where AI systems could create customised workout routines based on the specific health needs and physical capabilities of older adults, ensuring that exercises are both safe and effective for maintaining strength and mobility.
3. Generated by DallE, which represents immersive VR Exercise Environments: VR technology could provide older adults with engaging exercise experiences, allowing them to participate in virtual hikes, swims, or other activities that might be physically challenging in the real world, thereby promoting regular physical activity and mental stimulation.
4. Generated by DallE: Augmented Reality Glasses: AR glasses could display real-time health metrics such as heart rate, step count, and posture corrections during workouts, providing older adults with immediate feedback and guidance to improve their exercise routines safely.
5. Generated by DallE, given the prompt: Smart Home Gyms: Home fitness systems equipped with AI trainers could adapt workouts to suit the varying fitness levels and health conditions of older adults, making exercise more accessible and reducing the need to travel to gyms.
6. Generated by DallE, given the prompt: Robotic Fitness Assistants: Robots could assist older adults by demonstrating exercises, correcting form, and providing motivation, helping them stay active and reducing the risk of injury during workouts.
7. Generated by DallE, given the prompt: Genetic and Biomechanical Enhancements: Innovations in genetic engineering and biomechanical implants could enhance the physical capabilities of older adults, improving strength and endurance, and aiding in quicker recovery from injuries, thus promoting a more active and healthier lifestyle.
8. Generated by DallE, given the prompt: Wearable Health Monitors: Advanced wearables could continuously track vital signs, physical activity, and other health metrics, providing older adults with real-time health insights and alerts to prevent potential health issues, thereby promoting proactive health management.
9. Generated by DallE, given the prompt: Integrated Health Management Apps: These apps could aggregate data from various health monitors and provide personalised health plans, including exercise, nutrition, and mental well-being support, tailored to the needs of older adults.
10. Generated by DallE, given the prompt: Virtual Fitness Communities: Online platforms could foster social connections among older adults, offering virtual classes, social challenges, and community support, which can help reduce feelings of isolation and encourage regular physical activity.
11. Generated by DallE, given the prompt: Data-Driven Health Management: Big data analytics could provide older adults with personalised health recommendations based on their unique health data, helping them manage their fitness routines more effectively.
12. Generated by DallE, given the prompt: Telehealth and Virtual Consultations: Integration with fitness apps could allow older adults to consult with healthcare professionals in real time, receiving immediate advice and adjustments to their fitness routines based on their health status.
13. Generated by DallE, given the prompt: AI-Powered Predictive Health Monitoring: AI systems could predict potential health issues for older adults and recommend preventive measures, such as specific exercises or dietary changes, to maintain their health and well-being.

Reference List:

• Bell, W., 1998. Making people responsible: The possible, the probable, and the preferable. American Behavioral Scientist, 42(3), pp.323-339.
• Accenture 2020, Digital Health Consumer Survey 2020 | Accenture, www.accenture.com.
• Balbim, GM, Marques, IG, Marquez, DX, Patel, D, Sharp, LK, Kitsiou, S & Nyenhuis, SM 2020, ‘Using Fitbits as an mHealth Intervention Tool to Promote Physical Activity: Potential Challenges and Solutions (Preprint)’, JMIR mHealth and uHealth, vol. 9, no. 3.
• Cawthorne, D 2022, ‘Robot Ethics: Ethical Design Considerations’, pp. 473–491.
• Czaja, SJ & Ceruso, M 2022, ‘The Promise of Artificial Intelligence in Supporting an Aging Population’, Journal of Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 182–193.
• Mercer, K, Giangregorio, L, Schneider, E, Chilana, P, Li, M & Grindrod, K 2016, ‘Acceptance of Commercially Available Wearable Activity Trackers Among Adults Aged Over 50 and With Chronic Illness: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation’, JMIR mHealth and uHealth, vol. 4, no. 1, p. e7, viewed 25 May 2024, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4749845/>.
• Peloton n.d., Peloton® | Exercise Bike With Indoor Cycling Classes Streamed Live & On-Demand, www.onepeloton.com
• Physical Activity Australia 2024, HEALTHY AGEING – STAYING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE, Physical Activity Australia.
• Rahwan, I, Cebrian, M, Obradovich, N, Bongard, J, Bonnefon, J-F, Breazeal, C, Crandall, JW, Christakis, NA, Couzin, ID, Jackson, MO, Jennings, NR, Kamar, E, Kloumann, IM, Larochelle, H, Lazer, D, McElreath, R, Mislove, A, Parkes, DC, Pentland, A ‘Sandy’ & Roberts, ME 2019, ‘Machine behaviour’, Nature, vol. 568, no. 7753, pp. 477–486.
• Statista 2018, Topic: Wearable technology, www.statista.com, Statista.
• Watal, E 2024, Human-AI Collaboration: How AI Can Enhance Human Capabilities and Ethical Considerations, DATAVERSITY, viewed 12 May 2024, <https://www.dataversity.net/human-ai-collaboration-how-ai-can-enhance-human-capabilities-and-ethical-considerations/>.

Acknowledgement of Generative AI Use

This blog post was produced with the assistance of ChatGPT and Claude.