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Obesity Study: U.S. Military Members Packing on the Pounds

Close up of mother womans belly showing stretch mark loose lower abdomen skin she fat after pregnancy baby birth, studio isolated on white background, Healthy belly overweight excess body concept

Photo: Andrii Medvediuk / iStock / Getty Images

The U.S. military is getting fat, according to a new obesity study.

The ballooning size of servicemembers is on the rise and it's creating problems in both recruiting and retention for the defense department.

Sixty-eight percent of active-duty service members are either overweight or obese, and eating disorders in the military increased by nearly 80-percent since 2017. Most of the weight was packed on during the COVID downtime.

Because 7 out of every 10 of our enlisted members are too fat, the condition could compromise military readiness and undermine national security, according to officials.

The American Security Project points out that obesity is the "leading disqualifier of military applicants and a primary contributor to in-service injuries and medical discharges.”

The study concludes that, “Designing an effective strategy to monitor and tackle obesity within the U.S. military begins by treating it like any other chronic disease.”

 


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