A story circulating online states that expecting parents in Iowa will be required to pass a mandatory fitness test. Is this true or false?
The article is satire.
It was published by the satirical website National Report. In the fictional story, we read that this new measure is an effort to “curb overpopulation” by dissuading expectant parents from having children unless they can pass tests proving their psychological, financial, and physical and fitness.
Besides the fact that National Report publishes satire, no other news outlets have reported on such a development. And, although the story is satire, the post was circulated on social media by outraged readers who were unaware of the article’s humorous nature.
About National Report
National Report has a disclaimer which states that the website produces satirical content. The disclaimer – which has been removed and moved on several occasions – begins:
*DISCLAIMER: National Report is a news and political satire web publication, which may or may not use real names, often in semi-real or mostly fictitious ways.
Iowa’s “Healthiest State Initiative”
The satirical article by National Report may have been influenced by Iowa’s goal of becoming the nation’s “healthiest” state by 2016. A 2013 Gallup survey ranked Iowa #10 in the nation in terms of physical, emotional, and mental fitness and the state has set a goal of reaching the #1 spot by 2016. The state’s Governor Terry Branstad posted a message on IowaHealthiestState.com, which was launched in 2011, that reads in part:
Our goal is to make Iowa the healthiest state in the nation in just five years. The privately led and publicly endorsed Healthiest State Initiative will bring out the best in both the public and private sectors. Making Iowa the healthiest state in the nation is not only critical to the economic viability of our state, but also critical to the quality of life for all Iowans.
Bottom Line
The report that Iowa parents will be required to pass fitness exams is not true. It was published by a website which produces only satire.
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