1. A computer implemented method for processing private health related data into a masked numerical score suitable for publishing, comprising the steps of: receiving first data into a memory, wherein the first received data represents at least one intrinsic medical parameter and at least one extrinsic physical activity parameter of a user; storing the first received data in the memory; storing weighting factors in the memory; processing the first received data by executing code in a processor that configures the processor to: apply respective ones of the weighting factors to the at least one intrinsic medical parameter and the at least one extrinsic physical activity parameter, and apply a decay component to the processed at least one extrinsic physical activity parameter to reduce the relative weight of the processed at least one extrinsic physical activity parameter for a physical activity in dependence on at least one factor associated with the user; transforming, by executing additional code in the processor, the processed first received data into a masked composite numerical value by combining the weighted parameters in accordance with an algorithm; establishing an exercise program with an exercise machine on the basis of the processed first received data or the masked composite score; receiving second data representing at least one other extrinsic physical activity parameter regarding activity by the user of the exercise machine associated with the exercise program; processing the second received data by executing code in a processor that configures the processor to: apply at least one of the respective weighting factors to the at least one other extrinsic physical activity parameter; and apply a decay component to the processed at least one other extrinsic physical activity parameter to reduce the relative weight of the processed at least one other extrinsic physical activity parameter; transforming the processed second received data into an updated masked composite numerical value by combining the weighted parameters in accordance with an algorithm; and automatically publishing the updated masked composite numerical value to a designated group via a portal, using code executing in the processor and free of human intervention, while maintaining the at least one intrinsic medical parameter, the at least one extrinsic physical activity parameter and the at least one other extrinsic physical parameter private.