School requires health class for obese

Obesity is a major problem nationwide, but at Lincoln University it could actually prevent some seniors from graduating.

Lincoln, a historically black university in Pennsylvania, requires students with a body mass index higher than 30 to take an extra health class, called Fitness for Life. The new mandate has drawn fire from students and some health educators.

BMI measures a person’s weight against their height to set an acceptable weight range. A person at a healthy weight will have a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

A person with a BMI of more than 30 is considered obese.

What is Body Mass Index?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is ameasure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women.

BMI categories:

Underweight = < 18.5

Normal weight = 18.5 - 24.9

Overweight = 25 - 29.9

Obesity = 30 or greater

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

This year’s senior class is the first to be affected by the new requirement. As many as 20 seniors might not be able to graduate unless they take the class in the spring, raising concerns about the fairness of the program.

“I haven’t met a student who thinks that this is correct,” said Jonathan Marshall, a senior mass communications major at Lincoln.

Marshall said that many students think the new required class discriminates against obese students because it makes it more difficult for those students to graduate.

Becca Battaglini, director of the Lifetime Fitness and Physical Activities Program at UNC, also had doubts about the program’s requirements.

“I don’t think that BMI is the best way of seeing if they are healthy or not,” Battaglini said.

She said that BMI measurement fails to take body type and muscle mass into account.

Despite the controversy, Lincoln officials continue to defend the university’s requirement.

“Obesity particularly affects African Americans,” said James Deboy, chairman of Lincoln’s Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

“This is our attempt to address the issue directly.”

Deboy said that 80 seniors still need to have their BMIs tested. Based on the overall percentage of Lincoln’s students that are obese, he expects that 15 to 20 of those students will need to enroll in the required class to graduate.

He said students can be exempted from the class if their waist measurements indicate that they are not obese, or if they have health conditions that prevent them from participating.

Deboy said that he disagrees with complaints that the program discriminates against obese students.

“Colleges have been doing this for years. All students are tested, and those who meet proficiency are exempt,” he said.

Battaglini said that she does not foresee UNC creating a similar requirement, since UNC’s Lifetime Fitness program already teaches students health and wellness.

Marshall said students do not agree with the program’s requirements, but agree that teaching the importance of fitness is crucial.

“Their intentions are in a good place,” Marshall said.



Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.