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Pennsylvania university requires overweight students to take fitness class to graduate
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BMI is a measure of someone's weight in relation
to height. (Photo: Karenr | Dreamstime.com)
Lincoln University, located 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia, is under scrutiny over its policy making it mandatory for heavy students to take a fitness course to graduate.
According to Associated Press, this policy, which was implemented in fall 2006, is now being brought to the forefront since the first class to enroll under the mandate are now seniors and some have not taken the course. James L. DeBoy, the chairman of the department of health, physical education and recreation at Lincoln states that “about 80 students, 16 percent of the class, still have not had their Body Mass Index (BMI) tested or taken the fitness class.”
The mandate requires students to get their BMI tested. Students with a BMI of 30 or higher are then required to attend and participate in a class titled “Fitness for Life” where they take part in activities including cardio and strength training 3 hours per week. Students in the normal BMI range are exempt from the class.
Officials at Lincoln, a historically black college, say that this rule is their step towards tackling obesity rates in the African-American community. According to DeBoy,” We have an obligation to address this head on, knowing full well there’s going to be some fallout.”
While some acknowledge the school’s good intentions, experts say that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) could exempt morbidly obese students who might argue that participation could be dangerous for them. In addition, one student commented that “If Lincoln is truly concerned about everyone being healthy, then everyone should have to take this gym class, not just people who happen to be bigger.”
Read what students had to say in Lincoln University’s student paper The Lincolnian
Read for student recreation and fitness resources on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus
Read UW Health information on Body Mass Index (BMI)
Read how students can avoid freshman weight gain
Calculate your BMI
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