The Obesity Crisis; a Threat to Our Nation
Did you know that more than 1 in 3 young adults aged 17-24 are too heavy to serve in the military? Think about it. I mean really, really think about it. The United States of America has some slim pickings when it comes to recruiting reliable candidates to serve our country. The pool of new recruits is getting smaller & smaller and those who currently serve are getting more & more out of shape. With the world where it sits today, this should be very worrisome.
I was exposed to a different outlook on the obesity epidemic during a work trip to Gettysburg six years ago. This perspective unmasked that obesity was a direct threat to the security of our nation. I had never thought of it before.
In the summer of 2017, I was in Gettysburg as part of a leadership conference. Our group spent the day learning about the Battle of Gettysburg, led by two highly appointed military personnel who were also excellent historians. The purpose of this corporate expedition was to reflect on the strategies and leadership abilities of George Meade (Union) and Robert E. Lee (Confederate). It was estimated that the Union Army had upwards of 100,000 troops and the Confederate Amry upwards of 80,000. It was a three-day battle between July 1 and July 3, 1863 ending with roughly 50,000 casualties between the two armies and is deemed to be the bloodiest of combats in American History.
This post is not meant to be a history lesson but an insight into where we are today regarding those who serve in our military; those who so generously serve & protect our country. The two knowledgeable tour guides who commanded the attention of our group that day also provided some great perspective into leadership and winning wars (whether they are the boardroom battles that take place in corporate American or the man to man combat in foreign lands fighting for the rights & freedoms of human beings).
At the end of the tour our group participated in a Q&A session with the two military leaders we had just spent the day with. The conversation spanned from the century old canons we saw that were used in the Civil War to more modern-day technology including radar and with a push of a button we can fire off missiles that can strike halfway around the globe. After a long discussion about the evolution of military technology, it turned to military personnel. I remember asking, “what differences do you see in the quality of individuals who serve our country today & the training that is needed to get them combat ready?”
The more boisterous of the two military guides said, “The United States Military has excellent training for those who qualify to serve our country. The problem is that the percentage of young people who qualify to serve; has substantially decreased”.
When asked, “Why?” our civilian group received a very rapid & direct response. “Young people these days cannot pass the physical fitness test to get into the U.S. Military. You can’t sit around drinking Mountain Dew and eating Doritos and expect to be fit enough to serve our country when you turn 18. That’s a big part of it. But it is also about being mentally sharp. When you have a button at your fingertips that can blow up a city, you better have the intellect to make split-second decisions…quite honestly the health of our youth is presenting a serious security threat to our country.”
Alertness, reasoning & concentration are all affected by what we feed not only our bodies, but our brains. Cognitive health is critical in times of war. This trip to Gettysburg not only taught me a great deal about leadership, but it opened my eyes to a very vital population in our country, our military men & women. A group of people who we as an entire country rely upon in the very toughest of times both nationally and internationally. Our military personnel should be the best of the best; physically & mentally fit. But with the statistics sited below, our position in the old U.S. of A. is grim. Almost every other country in the world has us beat.
658,000 lost workdays per year are due to overweight and obesity for active-duty military personnel, which costs the Department of Defense $103 million per year.
Only 29% of American youth are eligible for military service, and a mere 2% of 17-to 21-year-olds are both eligible and have the tendency to serve.
3 out of 4 active-duty service members of the military are either overweight or obese.
More than 1 in 3 young adults aged 17-24 are “too heavy to serve in the military.”
Among the young adults who meet the weight requirements, only 3 out of 4 can meet the physical activity levels that prepare them for basic training.
3.3 million children aged 12-17 (13%) have been diagnosed with ADHD.
3 out of 4 children ages 12-17 (62%) who are diagnosed with ADHD are taking medications. The US Military restricts people that are dependent on medication.
If we don’t work to build a healthy foundation for today’s young people, both the military and our nation will pay the price tomorrow. - Richard R. Jeffries, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired) and former Medical Officer of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Sources:
The Hill; Americas Newest National Security Threat Obesity; Bornstein, Daniel; 6/28/22.
The Epoch Times; Obesity Epidemic in Military Elicits Call to Reform Diet of US Armed Forces: Expert; Lysiak, Matthew 10/24/23.
