Presidential Fitness Test Returns to U.S. Schools

Key TakeawaysThe Presidential Fitness Test is being reinstated in public schoolsThe program will reward students for physical fitnessIt aims to fight rising rates of obesity and inactivity.MONDAY, Aug. 4, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The Presidential Fitness Test is returning to U.S. schools after more than a decade.President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to bring back the program, which aims to improve physical fitness among students. The test was launched in 1956 and ended in 2013.U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will lead the venture. He has spoken out about rising childhood obesity and the need for healthier habits among young people.“President Trump wants every young American to have the opportunity to emphasize healthy, active lifestyles — creating a culture of strength and excellence for years to come,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told NBC News.The original test asked kids to do exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, running and toe-touches. High-performing students could earn the Presidential Physical Fitness Award.In 2013, the Obama administration replaced the test with the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, which focused less on athletic skill and more on individual health.The new version will again reward students who excel in physical fitness. It will be led by the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, which will create updated fitness standards and school programs.Kennedy said the award “was a huge item of pride when I was growing up,” and that the country needs to bring back “that spirit of competition and that commitment to nutrition and physical fitness.”Professional athletes will help support the program. Golf pro Bryson DeChambeau, who chairs the council, attended Thursday’s signing, along with other pros like Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor and golfer Annika Sorenstam.“This council will play an important role in shaping these new policies and ensuring that we preserve the American athletic tradition for many generations to come,” Trump said, as reported by NBC News. “And in the years ahead we’ll have the chance to showcase our nation’s athletic dominance on the world stage.”More informationKidsHealth has more on exercise for children.SOURCE: NBC News, July 31, 2025.What This Means For YouPublic schools will soon reintroduce fitness testing for kids, part of a national push to help young Americans stay active and healthy..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Presidential Fitness Test Returns to U.S. Schools

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