Fat college students to take fitness class

OXFORD, Pa., Nov. 20 (UPI) -- About 25 seniors at a Pennsylvania university have failed to meet a requirement that all obese students pass a class called "Fitness for Life."

Lincoln University, a historically black school in the Philadelphia suburbs, adopted the requirement four years ago, Inside Higher Ed reports. That means the current senior class is the first to be subjected to the challenge.

Incoming students at Lincoln are weighed and measured. All those who had a body mass index of more than 30 when they were freshmen must either take the class if they have not already or prove they have lost weight and have an acceptable BMI.

Almost one-fifth of the class of 2010, or 92 students, had a BMI above 30 when they entered. The majority have either passed the fitness class in the past three years or have lost weight.

James DeBoy, who heads the health, physical fitness and recreation department, said Lincoln has a responsibility to be honest with its students about their health because blacks are more vulnerable to diabetes and heart disease.

"No student should ever be able to leave Lincoln and not know the risks of obesity," he added. "They could never say, 'I wish I knew this was going to happen to me. I wish someone would have told me' "

But many students see the requirement as an intrusion on their freedom.

"It's not up to Lincoln to tell me how much my BMI should be," said Lousie Kaddie, a sophomore.