<deep sigh>

I appreciate what the administrators at Lincoln University are trying to do… but they’re doing it wrong.

Entering freshmen at Lincoln University have to get their body mass index, or BMI, measured. And if the result comes back above 30, the threshold for obesity, the students have to take a physical education class called “HPR 103 Fitness Walking/ Conditioning” or they can’t graduate. Details here.

The requirement kicked in for students who enrolled at Lincoln in the fall of 2006. That class is now in its senior year, and most are looking forward to their graduation this spring. But for 80 seniors, graduation will hinge upon their taking phys ed or passing the required BMI test, according to minutes of a Nov. 3 faculty meeting at Lincoln.

James DeBoy, chair of the department of health, phys ed and recreation at Lincoln brought the issue up at the meeting, because he wanted to remind everyone of the requirement. About 15 percent of the entering freshman class in 2006 tested above the 30 BMI mark.

I can at least understand the motives of various employers who enforce weight/fitness standards, as they have a stake in the long-term health of their employees.  The relationship between employers and employees, however, is quite different from the one between college administrators and students.  Lincoln U. gets public money, and its students are legal adults – thus, the administration has zero right to enforce an essentially discriminatory policy on students arbitrarily deemed to be at risk. Does the university compel students who smoke to take a smoking cessation class?  What about classes covering other risky behaviors?  Truth is, young adults often engage in a range of activities that are less than healthy: why single out the overweight/obese?

It’s also a dumb policy from a practical perspective.  “Thin” cannot be equated with “healthy.” Thin, unfit people are actually at greater risk  for cardiovascular disease than fat, active people are.  BMI is a risk factor for populations, but it’s less useful when applied to individuals (at least as a stand alone measure).  Even worse, it’s not going to catch everyone in the target population, as the testing is performed only on incoming freshmen.  From a public health perspective, it’s really pretty useless.

This is basically a lawsuit waiting to happen… and what gets me is that it’s totally unnecessary. There’s actually a right way to do this: simply make some sort of fitness/conditioning class part of the graduation requirement for all students – excepting those with disabilities that might prevent their participation.  College students are typically required to take a range of “breadth” courses, anyway, so this isn’t a novel concept.  For example, when I was an undergrad, I had to take a number of humanities courses, which were designed to turn science geeks like me into “well-rounded” individuals.  Why shouldn’t there be a Phys. Ed. requirement as well?  It’s logical, as it would catch the unfit students with lower BMI’s, as well as reduce student resentment at being singled out for being too fat to graduate.

(h/t Shakesville)

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