According to the CDC, one in five American adolescents are obese and two-thirds of adult Americans don’t meet the recommended weekly exercise guidelines. 

In response to this growing statistic, President Trump recently announced that he is reinstituting the Presidential Fitness Test which was abandoned by the Obama administration in 2012. The test includes a one-mile run, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and a few other exercises. 

Harrison Butker was present at the announcement press conference at the White House. He will serve on the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. In his remarks, Butker noted his reason for being a part of this initiative: “I think you have to be strong in mind and body and soul,” he said.  

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The Kansas City Chiefs kicker and devout Catholic also noted that investing in the health of our children will prioritize the importance of the family and help build up our great country. Other members of the Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition were present, including former WWE wrestler Triple H and PGA golfer Bryson DeChambeau. All of them referenced the importance of sports and exercise, especially for youth. They all commented that physical well-being and a commitment to exercise changed their lives, and they want to help more Americans experience the same. 

The Executive Order details the purpose of this reinstallation of the fitness test. It notes that the declining health and rise in “obesity, chronic disease, inactivity, and poor nutrition are at crisis levels, particularly among our children.” It also references the correlation between unhealthy nutrition and eating habits and the soaring rates of mental health factors like stress and depression.

According to the Mayo Clinic, high rates of stress can contribute to obesity increases. When the body is in continuous stress, it produces larger quantities of the hormone cortisol which can cause higher feelings of hunger. 

In light of the low rates of exercise and the high rates of obesity in America, Catholics ought to reflect on why taking care of one’s body is critical as a disciple. The answer is driven by the well-known line from St. Paul regarding the body being a temple. The full quote provides greater insight into the importance of physical health: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own…” (1 Corinthians 6:19). 

To neglect the temple is to reject God. The human body is not a vehicle of the person; we are our bodies, and God dwells within us. This is the reason why healthy nutrition and regular exercise are nonnegotiable for Christians. We are called to devote ourselves to a life of prayer and to incorporate intentional devotional practices that will enhance our spiritual life. However, we cannot forget to care for our bodies as well—for we are body and soul, not merely spiritual beings. 

When we care for our bodies, we also care for our souls. When we overlook our physical health, it has negative ramifications on the health of our soul. These truths are validated by the statistics on low religious practice and poor physical health.

If I reflect on my own eating and exercise habits, I must admit that there are times when I neglect to care for my body as well as I should or when I allow food and laziness to control me. It seems that this temptation to allow the things of the flesh to take a handle over the human person is referenced in Scripture as well. Directly before he uses the terminology of the body as a temple, St. Paul says the following:

I will not let myself be enslaved by anything. Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not for immorality, but for the Lord… (1 Corinthians 6:12-13) 

The restoration of the Presidential Fitness Test is a step in the right direction because it can begin to build a more intentional attitude toward taking care of one’s body for something greater than oneself. The Executive Order and the words of Harrison Butker and other athletes present at the press conference point out that taking care of one’s own health has benefits for one’s family and the larger community.

While there are undoubtedly other factors, such as genetics and varying metabolism rates, fitness and nutrition are very much in control of a person’s will. This does not mean that those who are overweight are automatically lazy; but it does mean that we must be challenged to reflect honestly about how we care for our body. To neglect the body is to neglect the Lord.

Fitness and diet are good for the individual and good for the country. As we noted, it is also a responsibility based on the way that God created us in His likeness. God dwells within you. Does your exercise and diet reflect this profound truth?

I know that I can work on my eating and fitness habits. Doing so will only make me more of a disciple who gives over his entire self to Jesus: my mind, my body, and my soul.