Resurrected Presidential Fitness Test Intended to Embarrass a New Cohort of Youth Under Trump's Leadership
President Donald Trump has brought back the Presidential Fitness Test for American schoolchildren, a move that reverses the 2012 decision by the Obama administration to phase it out[1][2]. The test, first established in 1956, aims to promote physical activity in schoolchildren and measures their physical abilities through activities such as push-ups and running[1].
The reinstated test is part of a broader effort to revitalize the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, an organisation tasked with reestablishing criteria for the Presidential Fitness Test and accompanying award[3]. This council will be overseen by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and may include athletes and sports figures like Paul "Triple H" Levesque[4].
However, the new test is not a carbon copy of its predecessor. It aims to balance the promotion of physical activity with an awareness of mental health concerns, ensuring that students are not unduly pressured or stressed[1]. The White House announcement emphasizes this holistic approach, which seeks to avoid negative impacts such as anxiety or loss of confidence[1].
It's worth noting that research suggests that children who become more active as children tend to stay that way into adulthood[5]. On the other hand, evidence regarding the link between bullying and school-based physical fitness testing is not conclusive, with at least one review in 2021 failing to find strong evidence of such a connection[6].
In the past, concerns have been raised about the test promoting weight-related bullying, stigma, and discrimination[7]. Some states have even considered suspending their local versions of the test over these concerns. However, the 2025 iteration of the test is intended to address these issues and promote a healthy, inclusive environment for all students.
Trump himself has had a complex relationship with exercise. While he once stated that he enjoys golf because it allows him to focus on sports and get away for a couple of hours[8], it's reported that he previously believed that exercise drains the body like a finite battery[9].
In contrast, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made headlines this year for bathing in a sewage-filled creek[10]. This incident underscores the importance of promoting health and fitness initiatives like the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition and the Presidential Fitness Test, which encourage a healthy and long-lived life, regardless of when one starts[11].
References: 1. CBS News 2. Washington Post 3. White House 4. ESPN 5. Mayo Clinic 6. Journal of School Health 7. NPR 8. The Guardian 9. The New York Times 10. CBS News 11. Mayo Clinic
- The reinstated Presidential Fitness Test, part of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, aims to promote physical activity in schoolchildren while addressing mental health concerns, ensuring a balanced and stress-free environment.
- The new test also seeks to foster a healthy and inclusive environment for all students, addressing concerns related to weight-related bullying, stigma, and discrimination that were raised in the past.
- Incorporating health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise into their daily routines from a young age can potentially lead to a lifelong commitment to health, as suggested by research from the Mayo Clinic.
- Awareness of the benefits of exercise extends to areas beyond sports, as demonstrated by the positive impacts of a holistic approach to health and wellness on one's overall lifespan, as emphasized by the Mayo Clinic.
