Exercise is medicine

It feels like common knowledge now that physical fitness is the key to good health, but fifty years ago that wasn’t the case. The Cooper Institute was founded in 1970 by Dr. Kenneth Cooper, a visionary who understood the impact of aerobic fitness long before the medical community recognized its importance.

Kenneth H. Cooper, MD, MPH

RESEARCH

Dr. Cooper’s initial research from patients at the Cooper Clinic led to the creation of the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study (CCLS), the world’s largest and longest-running observational study on measured cardiorespiratory fitness. Over the last five decades, researchers from The Cooper Institute have published over 700 studies showing how fitness can lower mortality, reduce or prevent chronic conditions, and improve overall quality of life.

YOUTH INITIATIVES

FitnessGram by The Cooper Institute is the most widely used assessment of youth fitness in the world. Recognized as the national test of the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, FitnessGram measures the aerobic and physical fitness of over 10 million students across the country. Available in both English and Spanish with a newly redesigned student fitness report, FitnessGram gives children, parents, teachers, school administrators and legislators the information they need to make decisions that improve children’s health.

ADVOCACY

Our work wouldn’t be possible without the voice of our volunteers speaking out for The Cooper Institute. We are a trusted source on critically important health issues because we are grounded in decades of scientific research. Together, we work with all levels of government and community leaders to be the voice of change and a driving force behind policy decisions.