Lincoln University Gets a Failing Grade!

Nov. 30, 2009 - PRLog -- Oakland, California - NAAFA, a civil rights organization dedicated to protecting the rights of people of size, is shocked that the historically Black college Lincoln University is engaged in discriminating against their fat students. It was not so many years ago that people were not allowed to pursue higher education based on their skin color. Now Lincoln University will deny graduation based on the size of one's body.

Lincoln's policy that requires fat students to reduce their weight below a BMI of 30 or complete a one semester fitness course serves to further stigmatize students of size on campus. Students of all sizes engage in unhealthy practices. Health and nutrition education are good for every body and singling out fat students is discriminatory.

The Rudd Center at Yale University published:  “In a study of more than 2,400 overweight and obese adults, 79% reported that they had coped with weight bias by eating more and 75% reported that they refused to keep dieting in response to bias. In addition, adults who experienced weight bias were more likely to engage in binge eating. Other evidence suggests that weight stigma reduces the desire to exercise and thus makes obese adults less active.”

Fat students are already less likely to go to college (Crosnoe, 2007) due to the stigmatization of weight and the perceived discrimination they expect to experience in college.

Targeting fat students only makes the problem worse by increasing the risk of students engaging in unhealthy eating habits which lead to eating disorders, and increasing thoughts of suicide and depression.  

NAAFA recommends the immediate withdrawal of this policy and practice. NAAFA offers to assist Lincoln in developing a health policy that encourages students of all sizes to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviors independent of numbers on a scale and BMI calculations. Most health professionals agree that BMI is not an indicator of health.

NAAFA encourages Lincoln University to incorporate Health At Every Size (HAES) principles into their policies and practices (http://www.naafaonline.com/dev2/education/haes.html ).

"It is an unacceptable situation, when an institution of higher learning engages in such short sighted and harmful practices. A letter along with a NAAFA Size Diversity Toolkit will be sent to Lincoln's President, in the hope that a new perspective can chart a better path for all concerned.", stated Lisa Tealer, NAAFA Board Member and corporate diversity professional.

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Founded in 1969, NAAFA is a non-profit civil rights organization dedicated to ending size discrimination. Our goal is for people of size to be accepted with dignity and equality and will pursue this goal through advocacy, public education, and support.