Maybe not having a KFC on campus would help... http://www.lincolnuniversitydining.com/locations.html
It's really a question about consciousness, rather than having or not having an option; that's what free will is about.
Overweight students forced to take fitness course or not graduate
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Re: Overweight students forced to take fitness course or not graduate
#12I run four days a week, climb, and lift weights; my maximum bench was 315lbs. I'm also 5'8" and weigh 200lbs, giving me a BMI > 30. By this university's standards, I'm thus obese and require supplementary physical education. When I was seriously into bodybuilding and weighed 175lbs, I looked like a take-home size action hero. Six pack, huge arms, etc. My BMI at that time was 25.8, which is still considered 'overweigh…
Similarly: When my career-military ex husband was on recruiting duty, he and all of the other recruiters at a conference (state-wide?) were told they were "overweight" by the height-weight tables of some insurance guy there. Every last one of them had to pass the PT test to remain in the military and could not be overweight. (The military accounts for such possibilities and has an alternate "tape test" standard which generally works well for those guys who are "overweight" due to bodybuilding -- or did at that time. I don't know what the current standards are.)
Re: Overweight students forced to take fitness course or not graduate
#13I'm torn on this. On the one hand, I think not taking a required class is sufficient grounds to deny graduation. On the other hand, I think the college was out of line to require "obese"[1] people to take additional classes. The college has a responsibility to prepare students for their adult life, but (a) until I see evidence to the contrary, I highly suspect that special-ed classes for fat people are one of the least effective ways of achieving this goal (b) part of being an adult is taking personal responsibility. I'm not normally someone to whine about nanny government, but the college's policy strikes me as overstepping. My personal moral system also requires more from the students than passively not taking a class for the excuse of 'protesting' to fly, but others may disagree.
[1] Air quotes because BMI should not in any way be considered a reliable way of measuring obesity. Body builders will tend to be considered "obese" because muscle is dense and they have more muscle weight than other people their height.
Re: Overweight students forced to take fitness course or not graduate
#14I run four days a week, climb, and lift weights; my maximum bench was 315lbs. I'm also 5'8" and weigh 200lbs, giving me a BMI > 30. By this university's standards, I'm thus obese and require supplementary physical education. When I was seriously into bodybuilding and weighed 175lbs, I looked like a take-home size action hero. Six pack, huge arms, etc. My BMI at that time was 25.8, which is still considered 'overweigh…
Ok, maybe BMI is not a good metric but I'm sure the administrator of the school can make the difference between 200lbs of muscles and 200lbs of fat.
Re: Overweight students forced to take fitness course or not graduate
#15Maybe not having a KFC on campus would help... http://www.lincolnuniversitydining.com/locations.html
It's really a question about consciousness, rather than having or not having an option; that's what free will is about.
Free will is not why the KFC is relevant. It's relevant because it's not consistent with the reasoning they've put forward for requiring the class.
Re: Overweight students forced to take fitness course or not graduate
#16Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's really a question about consciousness, rather than having or not having an option; that's what free will is about.
Free will is not why the KFC is relevant. It's relevant because it's not consistent with the reasoning they've put forward for requiring the class.
You're right--if the school is forcing some students to take that class to lose weight, and is forcing them to follow an exercise regime, it should also force them to eat healthily. But that logic only applies to the students being forced to take the class.
Managing temptation is a part of losing weight. I've been on a new diet and exercise program for about a month now, and while I did go to Burger King today, I made way better choices (a Whopper Jr with no mayo and chicken tenders with honey mustard (total: 560 calories)) than I would have before (Whopper with a medium Coke and medium fries (total: 1440 calories). My sodium, fat, and sugar were way higher than if I cooked myself, but the calories weren't that bad. Sometimes I just want something convenient, cheap, and tasty--diet or no diet.
Walking past a KFC every day, and even going in and eating something there, can be a pretty important tool. I've found it easier to modify my lifelong habits than I have to abandon them.
Re: Overweight students forced to take fitness course or not graduate
#17Why do people get so uppity about BMI? It's a range. 20-25 is the healthy range for most Caucasians. If you are big-boned and have big muscles, then 25 is a good weight. If you are slender, then 20 is a good weight.
Sure, there are guys who are 30, and think they are pretty fit, but they are generally also pretty fat.
There are a few serious body builders who can get past 30, and still be fit, but they are the exception not the rule.
Something like 30% of Americans are obese. Compared to 14% of Canadians, and 9% of French. http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_obe-health-obesity There might be a few more linebackers and bodybuilders in the USA, but I think it's mostly just fat people.
Measuring percent of body fat is probably better, but you can't do it on a set of bathroom scales.
Re: Overweight students forced to take fitness course or not graduate
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
Free will is not why the KFC is relevant. It's relevant because it's not consistent with the reasoning they've put forward for requiring the class.
You're right--if the school is forcing some students to take that class to lose weight, and is forcing them to follow an exercise regime, it should also force them to eat healthily. But that logic only applies to the students being forced to take the class. Managing temptation is a part of losing weight. I've been on a new diet and exercise program for about a month now, and while I did go to Burger King today, I mad…
They're forced to take the class, that's it. I'm not saying consistency would be requiring them to eat healthy - I don't even know how that would be possible.
Their argument was the healthy environment one. If that was consistently their intention, they would have healthier options on campus.
Re: Overweight students forced to take fitness course or not graduate
#19The class itself is a good idea, but they should have everyone take it unless they either "place out" of it by passing a physical and written fitness test or get an exemption from a doctor saying they can't do it.
To try to single out particular students for it is not only poor policy from a stigmatization perspective, but is also ineffective from an educational standpoint, especially when they use a metric as coarse as BMI. Having a low BMI hardly means that one is fit, healthy, or knowledgeable about any of those things.
Re: Overweight students forced to take fitness course or not graduate
#20Is this really any different than the "diversity" classes that some schools make freshmen take?
Is this really any different than the "diversity" classes that some schools make freshmen take?
I don't see any comparison ... what point are you trying to make?