Hawkeye Reporter

Nearly 70 years ago, the President’s Council on Youth Fitness was established during the Eisenhower administration to promote physical fitness and healthy habits among American schoolchildren. The council recommended a presidential award to recognize students’ achievements in physical fitness through exercises incorporated into school curricula nationwide. President-elect John F. Kennedy later expressed concern about what he called “The Soft American,” arguing that a lack of physical fitness posed a risk to national security: “our increasing lack of physical fitness, is a menace to our security…such softness on the part of the individual citizen can help to strip and destroy the vitality of a nation.” The Presidential Physical Fitness Award was formalized in 1966 under President Lyndon B. Johnson.

For many years, students aged 10-17 who met or exceeded national standards in benchmark tests—such as a one-mile run, sit-ups, pull-ups or push-ups, shuttle run, and sit-and-reach—could receive a presidential patch recognizing their achievement. This tradition ended during the Obama administration.

Recently, President Trump signed an executive order at the White House reinstating the Presidential Fitness Test and reviving the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. Athletic figures joined him at the signing ceremony in July. The goal is to collaborate with parents, educators, coaches and mentors across the country to address childhood chronic diseases and encourage healthier lifestyles for schoolchildren. The program will be administered by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., aligning with the Make America Healthy Again campaign. At the event, President Trump stated it was time to make “fitness fun, competitive and cool again.”

A statement from U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) highlighted his support for this initiative: “As a lifelong family farmer, I’ve long appreciated the physical and mental grind that comes with daily chores and the busy planting and harvest seasons. As someone who started jogging for the first time at age 65, I’ve also learned the tremendous benefits of a regular exercise regimen for cardiovascular and mental fitness. It cultivates discipline, commitment and resilience.” He added that obesity has become a generational challenge affecting healthcare costs and quality of life.

According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), medical costs associated with obesity among U.S. children are estimated at $1.3 billion annually; approximately one in five American children or adolescents have obesity [https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html]. The CDC’s annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicates that academic success is linked to regular physical activity—students engaging in at least an hour daily are more likely to earn higher grades [https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/facts.htm]. Furthermore, those achieving higher grades tend not to spend excessive time watching television or playing video games.

Grassley commended President Trump’s focus on youth fitness: “I commend President Trump for shining a spotlight on physical fitness among the next generation. I hope the relaunched Presidential Fitness Test will inspire young people to strive and achieve their personal best and pursue active lifestyles throughout their lifetimes.”