Syracuse University is not only known for basketball and record snowfalls, but also for physical fitness, according to an article in Men’s Fitness magazine.

In the magazine’s list of the ’25 Fittest Colleges in America,’ SU placed sixth, ahead of large colleges such as the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, the University of Alabama and Pennsylvania State University.

The magazine ranked colleges based on a number of lifestyle factors, including access to workout facilities, availability of healthy food choices and the number of opportunities to stay active. Curriculum factors were also considered, such as whether a fitness requirement was needed to graduate and how many health and fitness majors the school offered, according to the article.

A place in the list’s Top 10 can be largely attributed to SU’s number of campus fitness centers and fitness classes, said Timothy Eddy, assistant director of fitness centers at SU.

SU has six workout facilities, which is more than any other major college or university in the country, according to a Nov. 1 2010, article published on LiveU, SU’s student-centered health and wellness website.

‘Men’s Fitness realized our commitment to health and wellness as an institution as shown by the number of fitness classes and fitness centers offered, and the incredible amount of students who take advantage of these opportunities,’ Eddy said.

Nearly 1,100 students at SU enroll in fitness classes per semester, and approximately 137,000 people used the fitness centers on campus last semester, Eddy said.

‘SU makes it really easy to stay healthy. Between the nutrition guides in the dining halls and the variety of fitness centers to choose from, students can practice good eating and exercise habits if they don’t already,’ said Liz Welsh, a senior magazine journalism major.

With such a high fitness level, SU students may increase their life spans. Research suggests an important correlation between fitness and mortality rates, according to a Dec. 6 article on Time magazine’s website.

The efficiency of human hearts and lungs are determined by fitness level. When it comes to reducing a person’s overall risk of death and dying from heart disease, fitness may be just as important, if not more, than one’s weight, according to the article.

‘Exercise helps me release stress and keeps up my self-confidence, which ultimately emanates through my whole life,’ said Hannah Lategan, a junior biology major. ‘I believe working out regularly will lead to a happier and more balanced life.’

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Published on January 24, 2012 at 12:00 pm