Oklahoma City University will host preventive medicine pioneer Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper for a presentation, open to the public, at 3 p.m. March 26 in the Kerr McGee Auditorium in Meinders School of Business. Following his presentation, the university will bestow Cooper with an honorary Doctor of Science degree.
Cooper, the founder and chairman of Cooper Aerobics in Dallas and an Oklahoma native, is credited with starting the international fitness movement following the release of his best-selling book, “Aerobics,” in 1968. This year marks the 45th anniversary of Cooper Aerobics inspiring millions of people to live healthier, longer lives.
He has lectured in more than 50 countries and is most famous in Brazil, having trained the 1970 Brazilian soccer team to a World Cup victory. As a result, jogging is translated as “coopering” in Portuguese.
Cooper’s efforts have also impacted the American diet. His collaboration with PepsiCo to eliminate trans fats from its Frito-Lay snack line encouraged other companies to follow suit.
Cooper was born in Oklahoma City in 1931. During his 13 years of service in the U.S. Army and Air Force, he served as a flight surgeon and director of the Aerospace Medical Laboratory. He developed the 12-minute and 1.5-mile fitness tests and the Aerobics Point System still used today by branches of the military, schools and organizations worldwide.
In 1970 Cooper resigned from the military and founded Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas with the mission to explore the relationship between cardiovascular fitness and health and longevity. With the popularity of his book “Aerobics,” which has been translated into 41 languages and Braille, he also coined the term “aerobics” and submitted the official definition to the Oxford English Dictionary. He has authored 18 additional books, which combined have sold more than 30 million copies.
Cooper’s mission is for people of all ages to Get Cooperized™. As a leading pioneer of preventive medicine, he is challenging the world to follow his “8 Healthy Steps” to live better: maintain a healthy weight; eat healthy most of the time; exercise most days of the week; take the right supplements for you; stop smoking; control alcohol; manage stress; and get a regular, comprehensive physical exam. Founder and Chairman of Cooper Aerobics, Dr. Kenneth Cooper continues to lead the organization alongside his son, Dr. Tyler Cooper, president and CEO.
