Curves fitness and weight loss facilities are designed specifically for and focused on women, although in some states, men are allowed to join.

This new concept of 30-minute fitness, strength training, weight-loss guidance, and an environment designed for women was immediately successful.

Curves facilities are located in 39 countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.

In 2002, the Exercise & Sports Nutrition Laboratory at Baylor University began researching the efficacy of the Curves fitness and weight loss program.

[11] In 2004, Curves International and its franchisees received some mixed and unwanted publicity stemming from articles about the charitable contributions of founder Gary Heavin.

In an interview with Christianity Today, Heavin was quoted as saying that he donates money to "pro-life pregnancy care centers.

"[12] The San Francisco Chronicle printed an article by Ruth Rosen, accusing Heavin of supporting militant anti-abortion groups.

)[13] Numerous blogs picked up Rosen's version of the story, and several other articles on the subject subsequently appeared in other mainstream media.

[15] The publicity affected business at some individual franchises, particularly in the U.S. West Coast region (specifically California) and a few in the Atlantic Northeast and Pacific Northwest, causing an uproar from franchisees of Curves International.

[22] In 2005, six plaintiffs brought a suit against Curves, Gary Heavin, and Roger Schmidt (the company's attorney) for $20 million.

[23][24] The plaintiffs claimed that Heavin cheated them out of their share of profits by him and Roger Schmidt pressuring them to sign a buyout contract allotting them a fraction of what they might have earned.