Highlights

Campus News

Wildcat Weekly Minute for Nov. 17, 2011

A look at what's happening on campus this week.

Faith

Cleansed through the Cross

Dr. Quarles speaks on the efficacy of Christ's sacrifice at weekly chapel

Sports

LC hoops teams wrap up homestand with pair of wins

Off to Ozarks, UT-Dallas next

Organizations

LC media student give to Toys for Tots

More than 100 toys will help local charity

Campus Life

February is Heart Health Awareness Month

Stay healthy and 'God Red'

Culture

All the Shakespeare you could laugh at… and more!

tlc's adaptation of 'Shakespeare Abridged' pulls out all the stops

Special Coverage

LC brings another successful ‘Follow the Star’

'Christmas on the Hill' and 'Gala' add to festive weekend

“Father of Aerobics” lays it out plain for those seeking health at LC

by Al Quartemont

Dr. Kenneth Cooper's message is simple and straight to the point

There was no mistaking the message Thursday at LC's Guinn Auditorium - eat right, lose weight, get moving.

Not that the message has changed much for the man who is known internationally as the "father of aerobics." Dr. Kenneth Cooper was a man before his time with his philosophy of healthy eating and vigorous exercise - in some ways he still might be.

Dr. Cooper, who is now 79 years old, was a leading force in fitness when the United States dramatically improved its overall health between 1968 and 1984 only to watch it decline again over the last 25 years to the point he sees an impending crisis of both youth and adult obesity and the chronic illnesses that come with them.

"We're killing ourselves with our diet, our inactivity, and out obesity," Dr. Cooper told a captivated audience. "This could be the first generation to live longer than their children."

Dr. Cooper cited a number of statistics and studies which show how much obesity has increased, not only among adults, but also among children, especially since the day when Physical Education was no longer required in the nation's schools.

Dr. Cooper led the effort - in fact raised the money - to see P.E. returned to the 9,000 schools in his home state of Texas. As a result of that action taken in 2007, Texas has seen a dramatic improvement in the overall health of students. Dr. Cooper equates high levels of fitness to students having better attendance, better academic performance and fewer negative behaviors such as drugs, violence or gang activity.

He had hoped to take that message to Washington, D.C. when George W. Bush was president, but he was told by the then-president that a number of bills to do just that had already failed and his message wouldn't get far either.

"Washington has no interest in what's killing us in this country as far as health care is concerned," Dr. Cooper said. "They want to resolve the problem with a bill that just pays for acute care and will make the cost of health care go up one trillion dollars in three years."

Citing more statistics, Dr. Cooper said that two-thirds of adults in America are now overweight or obese and that by the year 2040, that number, at its current rate, will grow to 100 percent. Health-related issues from obesity include snoring, sleep apnea, and problems with ankles, hips and thighs.

Not that Dr. Cooper is waiting for the rest of the country to catch up... again. For the past 40 years, he has operated the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas. The Center has worked with 110,000 patients in those 40 years. According to Dr. Cooper, the average life span of his patients has increased to an average of 88 years. Even at 79, he continues to work 10 to 12 hour days, but always ends his day with one thing - exercise - to relieve whatever stress has built up during that day.

"We can change our life span if we change our life style," Dr. Cooper said. "Fitness is a journey - not a destination."

Dr. Cooper's appearance was cosponsored by Louisiana College and CHRISTUS Cabrini Hospital Cardiovascular Services.

This entry has been viewed 386 times.