Lincoln U drops BMI requirement

School officials at Chester County's Lincoln University have changed their minds. Obese students will not be forced to take a fitness class to graduate. The graduation requirement has been downgraded to a strong recommendation.

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Fitness instructors will screen students in an introductory wellness class and then suggest the follow-up "Fitness for Life" course to students who are at risk for obesity-related illnesses.

DeBoy: The heart attacks, it's the heart disease it's the diabetes II, selected cancers and musculoskeletal disorders.

Professor James DeBoy leads Lincoln's Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

DeBoy: If 85 percent of the students honor the recommendation and enroll and complete the course, we'll be 85 percent happy.

Lincoln, a historically black university, faced a firestorm of criticism earlier this year, when officials issued a letter to about 80 students informing them they were at risk to not graduate. Opponents says the requirement discriminated against obese students. Despite that perception, DeBoy says nudging students toward healthier habits is an appropriate role for the university.