Alan Thicke champions the case for family fitness - Special Section: Family Fitness - interview

American Fitness, Nov-Dec, 1990

Alan Thicke Champions the Case For Family Fitness.

Known as the "fitness decade," the 1980s saw major changes in America's exercise habits. But it was primarily an adult movement, leaving children behind the starting block of the great race for health. Families in particular seemed to gather in front of the "tube" instead of the slopes, trails and tracks.

Hoping to spread the word that family fitness can be fun and games, Alan Thicke of "Growing Pains" teamed up with the President's Council on Physical Fitness & Sports (PCPFS) and the California Raisin Advisory Board. They've been promoting materials for families and elementary schools, including the "Great Raising Family Fitness Caper," a poster-size board game that invites families to sleuth-out fun, new fitness activities together.

"Family members can help support each other to make significant improvements in their exercise and eating habits. It begins with basic awareness," says Thicke. "In light of the alarming health trends affecting pre-teenagers, improved family fitness routines are very much in need. Parents used to encourage children to learn and think about fitness at younger ages," he adds.

According to the Council, the number of obese 6-to-ll-year-olds has risen 54% in the last 20 years. Furthermore, 40% of children ages 5-8 show at least one heart disease risk factor, such as high blood pressure, obesity or elevated cholesterol levels, or physical inactivity. Contributing to the problem is television viewing--while the average adult spends 35 hours a week in front of the TV, children spend at least 24 hours, according to the Center for Adolescent Obesity.

Thicke, who plays involved parent Jason Seaver on ABC's "Growing Pains," has made fitness a priority in his real-life family with his two sons, Brennan, age 14, and Robin, age 12.

"My sons help to motivate me and I them. Whether we're playing basketball or football, it never seems as if we're `working' at staying fit or eating right. Being together is fun," Thicke says. The recipient of "Father of the Year" honors from the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Thicke maintains that fitness programs can prove helpful in parenting.

"As a father, my first priority is to help my sons set and attain personal goals so they will develop self-confidence and individual strength. Engaging in regular fitness activities with my children helps me fulfill those responsibilities," he notes.

American Fitness: Why are you taking a personal role in developing fitness among families?

Alan Thicke: On a selfish basis, I really enjoy sports and activity. Fortunately, fitness is a residual side effect of my interests. Fitness needs to be perceived as fun and games or we subconsciously avoid it. My priority is to turn people--especially kids--on to sports and being active so they don't even have to think about it being good for their health. If people participate for the fun of it, and believe me--it is fun, then fitness programs will be much more successful.

AF: What do you do with your family to stay fit?

AT: We play a lot of sports. We don't discipline ourselves and say, "Time for weights now...Hup, two." It's not a marine base, but our lives are designed with physical activity in mind. We look for opportunities to play together including basketball, tennis, swimming, riding bikes and touch football. I try to provide a loving environment where we can play. I think that's good on so many levels--emotionally, for family interactions and, of course, physically.

AF: What are the benefits of families exercising together rather than individually?

AT: I've always heard "don't send your child to a little league game--take him." About 50% of adults with children don't currently partake in any aerobic activity and I think that needs to change. Family involvement is a valuable thing and playing together actively can be the '90s version of it. Instead of just watching, you can do it together...something we don't spend enough time on. We can motivate and excite each other about fitness.

AF: How close is the dad Alan Thicke to the perfect father Jason Seaver on "Growing Pains?"

AT: I'm not a Jason Seaver prototype in real life. I share joint custody of my kids, and left to my own devices, I would eat junk food and have no interest in the discipline of the long distance runner. Because I'm not a fanatic, my real drive comes from making it fun. I do like to play sports, tennis, hockey, touch football, horseback riding, skiing, hiking. I take a hedonistic approach to exercise and make sure it's fun.

AF: Are you concerned that the popularity of perfect dads like Bill Cosby's Huxtable and Seaver is waning in favor of flawed father figures like Al Bundy and Homer Simpson?

AT: I think it's healthy to occasionally have a humorous poke at the conservative role model family so we don't get so full of overselves. But I also believe that they don't really undermine the very real and important values to families.