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On July 31, President Donald Trump signed a bill reinstating the Presidential Fitness Test in public schools across the country. The test is an “important step in our mission to make America healthy again,” he said.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower originally introduced the Presidential Fitness Test in 1956 in response to a 1950 Kraus-Weber study. It suggested American children were much less fit than their European counterparts.

The test remained intact until former President Barack Obama removed it from schools in 2012. Under Obama’s administration, the Department of Health and Human Services criticized the test as one that only “recognized athletic performance” and failed to “provide a barometer on student health.”

Obama claimed the test was too simplistic, praising students who could perform certain athletic feats but failing to account for other aspects of what it means to live a healthy lifestyle, such as diet and sleep.

Obama’s thoughts on the test were true, and still are. Once the test is reinstated, it will once again prove to be more harmful than beneficial for students.

Although we’re facing a health epidemic, and schools do need to be addressing this issue, the Presidential Fitness Test is not the way to do it.

The main red flag the test raises is the fact that many students may face unnecessary public humiliation as a result of the test. The test tasks students with performing physical challenges such as a one-mile run, push-ups and sit-ups.

These challenges are performed in a public setting, where students who aren’t able to complete the challenges with an outstanding result – let alone at all – will face shame and embarrassment about their abilities and body image.

It’s been proven individuals who deal with feelings of shame about their bodies are less likely to be active long-term, perhaps even opting to avoid exercise altogether.

This is especially concerning when you take into consideration that nearly half of American adolescents already deal with body image issues. Reinstating the Presidential Fitness Test would worsen these body image issues in students around the country.

Trump said he aims to “address the threat to the vitality and longevity of our country that is posed by America’s declining health and physical fitness” by reinstating the test. If he really wishes to preserve America’s “longevity” through health fitness, a test that will lead to certain students avoiding exercise long-term is not the way to go.

But beyond the emotional aspects of this test’s implementation are myriad scientific discrepancies.

Recent studies such as a 2024 article on monitoring physical fitness in adolescents have categorized the idea of fitness into two distinct components: skill-related components, such as power, speed, and balance and health-related components like cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition. Although it is possible to get a vague idea of someone’s cardiorespiratory fitness levels or body composition from simple exercises, it is not the best way to do so.

Adding to the dissatisfaction students might feel is the reinstatement of the Presidential Fitness Award, which is given to those who achieve high levels of performance on the test. The idea that some students will receive an award for being in shape makes the whole ordeal feel like more of a petty competition than a true measure of health.

There are already awards in place that recognize athletic achievements on a more appropriate level, such as trophies given to youth sports teams, and on a more advanced level, college scholarships. These are awards that recognize athletic ability appropriately.

What makes the test so outdated and inappropriate for curricula is the fact that health is multifaceted. A true measure of health should not only acknowledge the ability to run and lift, but also consider aspects such as mental health, sleep and diet.

If Trump really does wish to improve the health of students, he should do so in a way that doesn’t inspire competition between students in a public setting. Instead, it should educate students to learn about the various ways they can stay in good health.

One adequate way to do this could include instituting in-depth and insightful health courses in schools. This would allow general instruction to be given to students about the steps they can take to preserve their health without singling out any given student.

Another step Trump should take is mandating tests that accurately inform students of their health levels. Tests that measure students’ V02 max levels and their body fat levels should be administered hand-in-hand so students can see there’s more to health than their mile time or sit-up record. These tests should be conducted privately, and their results should be kept between the student and school to prevent shame.

The issue of poor health in students needs to be addressed now more than ever. It should be of utmost importance for the leader of our nation to ensure our youth stay in good shape, and do so using a holistic approach that actually benefits generations of the future. Currently, Trump is failing to do this, and he needs to reconsider the way he uses our education system to protect the health of our students.

Will Chadwick is a sophomore psychology major. His column appears weekly. He can be reached at wchadwic@syr.edu.

Published on August 25, 2025 at 9:56 pm