If You're Fat - You Might Not Graduate

[Fat Bottom Gurl]

"Lincoln U. Requires Its Students to Step on the Scale

At Lincoln University, in Pennsylvania, students who are deemed too heavy must pass a physical-fitness course.

As part of the university's core curriculum, campus health educators weigh and measure all freshmen during the fall semester, and later calculate each student's body-mass index, or BMI. Those with a BMI above 30, which suggests obesity, must enroll in a one-credit course called "Fitness for Life" before they graduate. Students can satisfy that requirement if they "test out"—by subsequently earning a BMI below 30—or by passing a sports course."

Entire article here: http://chronicle.com/article/Lincoln-U-Requires-Its/49223/

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Perhaps they should also have a minimum BMI requirement since anorexia/bullemia is also a health risk.

 

[Ausmerican]

People still use the BMI? According to it Arnold was morbidly obese when he was Mr Olympia. Height x Weight doesn't take into account lean muscle vs fat.

 

[Sledge]

Or not use BMI at all.

 

[The Fallen Serpent]

Ugh. This is a terrible policy. For one, BMI was intended to be used in regards to population statistics instead of individuals. It is in my inexpert opinion an overused metric. A health class being required for all students for any degree is not in itself a bad idea. Requiring only those who fail a BMI test to take it may even be discriminatory against those with body types different than the stanard that BMI is based upon. Those with dwarfism, who are at a higher risk obesity, could be misdiagnosed by using the standard BMI.

Essentially I interpet this policy as "If you might be overweight by this metric that is a poor indicator of individual obesity, you are required to take extra schooling."

 

[Eyeron]

People will use any excuse to be bigoted.

I hope somebody sues their ass off and I hope they lose.

 

[popscythe]

People will use any excuse to be bigoted

My actual opinion lies in the "Liberty" category, but let me just propose the following for discussion:

If this is bigotry, how about any of the other laws that are intended to prevent people from killing themselves? Heroin being outlawed. Seat belt laws, etc.

 

[tyr_13]

My actual opinion lies in the "Liberty" category, but let me just propose the following for discussion:

If this is bigotry, how about any of the other laws that are intended to prevent people from killing themselves? Heroin being outlawed. Seat belt laws, etc.

This isn't a law, BMI is a poor indicator of life expectancy.

 

[Eyeron]

If this is bigotry,

With those particular laws I just don't know and don't have any answer.

 

[mortimer]

One of the general degree requirements at my university was 2 credits of sports. I took archery and softball. As long as you show up to class, you pass. I suspect its similar at Lincoln U to "test out".

 

[popscythe]

BMI is a poor indicator of life expectancy.

Eh, nobody thought Ozzy would live this long either, but that doesn't mean that obesity doesn't kill you.

 

[The Fallen Serpent]

According to the article there is already a required health class for all students that takes into account living fit. This is an extra requirement for people who are considered obese by the BMI standard. It focuses on encouraging walking and pilates. A course designed with the average obese level American in mind. The assumption is that anyone who falls above BMI 30 is failing to live fit and needs that pointed by the administration policies. The extra requirement is insulting for a wide variety of groups. Yes, taking an extra sports class also satisfies the extra requirement. I would not be opposed to a mandatory sports class. Still a mandatory requirement for only specific group of people, even if it was based on a more appropriate metric and this in my opinion definitely is not, is discriminatory.

Think about it. Someone who is wheelchair bound and also obese fails to pass muster under the BMI. So they are put into this extra class. In the class they are told they need to walk more and do pilates. Perhaps a bit demeaning and fails to address the individual needs? Or someone who by happenstance was pregnant at the time of joining the school and near graduation when they supposedly remeasure the BMI. Or someone who has any number of disorders that completely skews the application of BMI. BMI is a poor indicator of obesity in an indvidual. It was designed for population statistics. Enforcing it could be demeaning and completely misses the point about why people in the US are unhealthy. The increased levels of obesity in the US is an indication of health problems in the US. Obesity is obviously linked to a wide variety of health problems. Obesity in itself however should be addressed individually. Not by a scale that determines a standard that takes very few factors into account.

 

[The Don]

People still use the BMI? According to it Arnold was morbidly obese when he was Mr Olympia. Height x Weight doesn't take into account lean muscle vs fat.

It's a good approximation. The number of people who have a BMI in excess of 30 because they are exceptionally muscled is tiny compared to those who have a BMI over 30 because they are fat.

Those ripped individuals would, I presume, have little trouble passing a sports test (as would fit individuals who just happen to be a little chubby).

IIRC this is not without precedent. I think MIT has/used to have a swimming test.

 

[The Don]

According to the article there is already a required health class for all students that takes into account living fit. This is an extra requirement for people who are considered obese by the BMI standard. It focuses on encouraging walking and pilates. A course designed with the average obese level American in mind. The assumption is that anyone who falls above BMI 30 is failing to live fit and needs that pointed by the administration policies. The extra requirement is insulting for a wide variety of groups. Yes, taking an extra sports class also satisfies the extra requirement. I would not be opposed to a mandatory sports class. Still a mandatory requirement for only specific group of people, even if it was based on a more appropriate metric and this in my opinion definitely is not, is discriminatory.

Think about it. Someone who is wheelchair bound and also obese fails to pass muster under the BMI. So they are put into this extra class. In the class they are told they need to walk more and do pilates. Perhaps a bit demeaning and fails to address the individual needs? Or someone who by happenstance was pregnant at the time of joining the school and near graduation when they supposedly remeasure the BMI. Or someone who has any number of disorders that completely skews the application of BMI. BMI is a poor indicator of obesity in an indvidual. It was designed for population statistics. Enforcing it could be demeaning and completely misses the point about why people in the US are unhealthy. The increased levels of obesity in the US is an indication of health problems in the US. Obesity is obviously linked to a wide variety of health problems. Obesity in itself however should be addressed individually. Not by a scale that determines a standard that takes very few factors into account.

Do you honestly think that someone who is pregnant wouldn't get a pass from this ?

What proportion of people whose BMI is over 30 are simply fat ?

 

[Hallo Alfie]

It's a good approximation. The number of people who have a BMI in excess of 30 because they are exceptionally muscled is tiny compared to those who have a BMI over 30 because they are fat.

Those ripped individuals would, I presume, have little trouble passing a sports test (as would fit individuals who just happen to be a little chubby).

IIRC this is not without precedent. I think MIT has/used to have a swimming test.

In Australia - as I understand it - the doctors have dispensed with BMI for the reasons already stated. They now use a simple waist measurement which is 94cm for men and 84 for women (I am happy to be corrected on those measurements).
I am technically obese simply because of my body size under the BMI rules - I am not fat at all, stocky/solid and muscular (not Arnold). I am 180cm and 94kg. I always had problems with BMI because I fall outside that scope. My waist measurement is at the higher end at 92cm or so but still in the healthy range. Watch Christmas holidays stuff that up.

This seems a better way for people like me, it does allow for a larger lean muscle mass whereas it was not catered for previously.

AAA

 

[Darat]

As others have stated surely if they are going to implement this idea they would need to implement it in such a way that anyone falling outside the "healthy" band of the BMI chart needs to attend the course? So that would include those that are "too" skinny.

 

[whatthebutlersaw]

Disregarding the obvious drawbacks of BMI - which _is_ a poor indicator of individual health and severely arbitrary at worst - this is still discrimination of physical traits. Your weight has nothing to do with your ability to do for example calculus.

Bigoted is only the start of it. Disgusting. Institutionalized bullying of the worst kind.

The fact that people in this thread defend this "because, actually fatties often are above bmi 30" is so missing the point (the point being that discrimination is a bad thing) and in my opinion outs them as bullies and bigots.

 

[TragicMonkey]

I wonder if that college is going to require their overweight faculty and staff and trustees to trim down and pass the test or sports classes? It does seem wrong that they'd hold their students to standards they aren't willing to meet themselves.

And naturally I assume they'll be declining donations from alumni and other sources when the giver is too fat. Wouldn't want to corrupt the college's moral standing with that dirty fat money.

 

[Hallo Alfie]

NFCU?

 

[The Don]

As others have stated surely if they are going to implement this idea they would need to implement it in such a way that anyone falling outside the "healthy" band of the BMI chart needs to attend the course? So that would include those that are "too" skinny.

I think that's an excellent idea. It would indicate that the eduactional institution is taking their duty of care seriously.

If waist measurement is a more reliable indicator of obesity (is there a corresponding lower number ?) then that should be used instead.

 

[timhau]

People still use the BMI? According to it Arnold was morbidly obese when he was Mr Olympia.

Yeah. And it isn't uncommon among athletes. My first thought was "I bet this school doesn't have a football team".