History:
Lincoln University, a college in rural Pennsylvania, passed a requirement in 2006, that a student’s body mass index, which is calculated as weight in pounds divided by height in inches squared, be measured upon entering Lincoln. (Ruiz 1) Students with a B.M.I. exceeding thirty which is on the verge of obesity, must take fitness walking/conditioning classes as part of their curriculum to graduate. (Ruiz 1)
Thesis:
Lincoln University should require all students enrolled to take the fitness walking/conditioning classes regardless of their BMI.
Argument:
College is supposed to be four of the best years in one’s life, it is a time full of countless opportunities, friends, activities, classes, and homework. However, trying to balance all of the above, creates a teeming life style. It is encouraged that students do become involved, but when a student spreads themselves too thin it can be harmful, leading to stress. The formation of stress can lead to many unhealthy habits such as, irregular sleep cycles, loss of immunity to disease, and deficient eating habits.
How then can stress in the bustling lives of college students be reduced? The answer is a notoriety, but often forgotten, the remedy is exercise. Exercise relieves stress.
Exercising is a crucial habit to form for the sake of one’s health. A few of the major benefits found in exercising are improved cardiovascular fitness, lung capacity, resistance against diseases, relaxation, improved endurance, sleep, and ability to cope with stress (Berland 5). Many of these factors that are improved are linked to helping fight obesity as well. Furthermore, it is important to form life long exercise habits at the college level. Studies show that activity levels begin to fall drastically at the age of 18 (Dishman 2). This decline that begins as adulthood is reached, 40% of Americans do not exercise during leisure time, 40% are active at levels too infrequent and low for health and fitness gains, and only 20% exercise intensely and regularly enough to meet the current fitness guidelines (Dishman 1). If Americans are not exercising enough the overall health of the nation goes down. By Lincoln creating a program where students can be taught proper fitness that takes place on a regular basis, a training ground for future health habits is provided. “Doc” Spackman, a trainer, said, “Too many believe that one should exercise until one is 20 to 25 years and then they have enough fitness built in to last the next 50 years. Physical fitness lasts about three weeks. Exercise is for everyone over 21 years, the more over 21, the more exercise one needs.”
One of the most universal arguments against installing a program of required exercise classes is the results do not come from the class itself, it comes from within each individual student. In order to obtain the full health benefits from the class some of the responsibility would have to depend on the student’s attitude and dedication. Lincoln University could not force students to lead a healthy lifestyle.
However, it would be imprudent to not see the importance of exercising for Lincoln College students. Those against mandatory exercise say that if students feel it is important to exercise they will create a program of physical activity on their own. It would not be necessary on the school’s behalf. The problem with this theory is a large percentage of students would stop the program if left on their own without any type of accountability. For example, a study was conducted with several different exercise plans to see the results over time. First, the theoretical approach of self-monitoring was used. This program left individuals to attend exercise sessions on their own without any intervention from others. The overall observation was that interest in attending and exercising was lost after about four weeks. Next the approach of stages of change was used. This program used four different groups. One group received weekly calls with structured inquiry to see how and when the subjects were personally exercising. The second group received weekly calls with general inquiries about their exercise habits. The third group received a call every three weeks with general inquiries of exercise, and the last group received calls every three weeks with structured inquiries. The results were, that 63% of the subjects who were called more frequently were regularly exercising as opposed to only the 22% exercising success rate of those that were called less frequently. Also those called with the structured inquiry method had a much higher rate of successful exercise then those who were just asked generally about their exercise patterns. (Dishman 219) These results show that exercise is most effectively put into practice when people are held accountable and supported. This is a prominent reason for Lincoln University to start a program to help hold its students to a plan of exercise by making them accountable in a class.
It was also pointed out in this study conducted, that students are more likely to respond if they are motivated by someone of similar age, this opens an exceptional opportunity for students majoring in exercise science, not only could Lincoln use this as a possible internship program for their current students, but it would help cut expenses when having to hire extra employees to be the personal trainers. (Dishman 212)
Minor reasons argued against a mandatory exercise program include students already being overwhelmed for study time with an overload of credits, students with disabilities encountering problems fulfilling the requirements, and university athletes already having a regular program of exercise. All of these reasons could be addressed by simple adjustments. None of the reasons listed above are valid enough to abandon this program from being formed, especially in an era when our nation is suffering from sky rocketing obesity rates. (Davis 6) For example, the university could make space in individual college requirements for exercise classes. This would enable students to have time in their schedule for these classes. Having university wide class requirements is already in effect with needing a fine arts credit, a critical thinking credit, and a humanity credit. With all of the above mentioned credits colleges offer students several options of completely different classes to take in order to be able to fulfill the requirement. By doing something similar for the exercise program credits, different options of varied forms of exercise classes are offered to fulfill the requirements. (Dreesman 2) This then eliminates problems of freedom, disability, and athletics. To explain further, those with a disability could choose a class that would be most beneficial to them and athletes could supplement their training for the classes.
Since exercise is an important part of life for health and fitness reasons, then it should be made an important part in the lives of college students. A program needs to be started where it is mandatory to take some sort of a physical fitness class once a year. The students could pick the specific form of exercise they want, but in each class proper fitness would be shown how to be achieved and maintained through accountability. The university would need to make adjustments in their curriculum so students could be able to have the time to take these classes. But by adapting this program the lives of students would start to become healthier causing the positives to out weigh any negatives found in the program. After all mandatory exercise classes are not a new idea; they are all ready in effect for students through twelfth grade. Lincoln should continue the process of exercise for healthy living through education. If a program is not started now the exercise level for adults will continue to drop first at the college level and then continue into later life.
In conclusion, it is often said that a person speaks of what is in their heart and if the health of its students is important the university needs to show it by making healthy habits, such as exercise, a part of its curriculum. In order to stay healthy you must make time to take care of yourself. Universities can help students do this by giving them time for exercise and holding them accountable to physical activity by promoting a required exercise program.
Works Cited:
Berland, Theodore. “Fitness for Life.” Washington D.C.: American Association of Retired Persons.
Davis, Elwood and George Holland. “Values of Physical Activity.” Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers.
Dishman, Rod. Exercise Adherence. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers, 1998.
Dreesman, Rebecca. “Gym Proposal.” Opinion Essay. Public Istate, 2008. Web. 6 Mar. 2011.
Ruiz, Rebecca R. “A University Takes Aim at Obesity.” New York Times 27 Nov. 2009: 1. Web. 4 Mar. 2011.
