Putin to Russians: Shape up!

Sports-loving Russian President Vladimir Putin says, "Sport is a loyal and good comrade"

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- In the old Soviet Union, being a couch potato wasn't much of an option.

But in today's Russia, 70 percent of men smoke, their average age at death is 60, alcohol abuse is rampant, and only 12 percent of Russians take part in sports.

So Vladimir Putin -- the non-smoking, sports-loving Russian president -- is telling his fellow citizens to shape up.

"Sport is a loyal and good comrade," Putin recently told a group of young skiers.

The Russian government is working on a plan for promoting health, with the accent on fitness.

"It has a great influence on other factors," says Dr. Rafael Oganov of the State Research Center for Preventive Medicine. "On obesity, on smoking and drinking alcohol."

But spend a morning at one of Moscow's most popular parks and you'll get an earful on how hard it is for an average Russian to stay in shape.

People say the park is one of the few places left in the capital where people can participate in sports for free.

"Sports are no longer for average people," says Yelena, who plays table tennis. "They've become -- you know, I hate the word, but it's true -- for the elite."

Ironically, as publicly funded sports facilities are closing, commercial fitness clubs are booming.

Their clients are urban, educated, well-paid young professionals who realise that staying in shape can be a ticket to success.

But with memberships the equivalent of $1,000 a year and the average monthly income for Russians at $100, clubs like Planet Fitness are simply too expensive for most people.

Olga Sloutsker, one of the country's best-known fitness gurus, says that what Russia needs is a new consciousness about fitness.

"You don't need to be a member of a health club to bring sport into your life," says Sloutsker. "You can buy a pair of shoes and a suit and you can jog in the parks."

Oleg works out regularly at Planet Fitness but says only half of his friends do.

"Newspapers, the couch and a glass of something -- that's what it used to be like," he says. "But the consciousness is changing. Especially among young people."

Almost 90 percent of Russians, though, have yet to kick their sedentary lifestyle.