Trump revives Presidential Fitness Test — What the research and U.S. history mean for Thailand's schools
The revival of the U.S. Presidential Fitness Test marks a return to high-profile, standardized school fitness assessments after more than a decade, raising fresh questions about measurement, mental health, and what actually helps children become healthier. The executive order signed in late July directs the reconstituted President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition to design a nationwide test and restores the Presidential Fitness Award, while Health and Human Services will oversee rollout as part of a broader “Make America Healthy Again” push targeting childhood chronic disease and inactivity (Remember running the mile in school? The Presidential Fitness Test is coming back — NPR). This policy shift revives debates over whether a national fitness exam can lift population health or risks stigmatizing children who already face rising rates of obesity and related conditions.