Military Losing War on Fat

WASHINGTON, November 9, 2001 — The U.S. military faces a significant loss of highly trained personnel which could affect its combat readiness unless it wins the war on fat, according to a study discussed here today at a national conference on obesity. The study finds that 54 percent of military personnel are overweight. More than twice as many men than women -- 58.6 percent and 26.1 percent, respectively -- are tipping the scales past the military guidelines.

"This shows the Armed Forces are not immune from the obesity epidemic sweeping this country," says the study's author, Richard Atkinson, M.D., professor of medicine and nutritional sciences at the University of Wisconsin, and president of the American Obesity Association. "It's time we recognize obesity as a chronic disease and dedicate federal resources into research and effective treatment programs."

The military's weight problem has grown significantly in recent years. The number of overweight men increased from 54.1 percent in 1995 to 58.6 percent in 1998. Overweight women also increased from 21.6 in 1995 to 26.1 in 1998.

The weight problem is highest in the Navy and lowest in the Marines.

Dr. Atkinson says advancing age in the Armed Forces is a major contributing factor to the military's weight problem. The extra pounds have contributed to some loss of performance and endurance, and has had a significant effect on injury rate.

"I'm concerned that the epidemic of obesity in the civilian population may adversely affect the pool of potential recruits for the services," concludes Dr. Atkinson.

Obesity: The Public Health Conference on Nov. 8-9 in Washington is a national conference for public health officials, policy leaders and physicians to hear about the latest developments in the causes, prevention and treatment of obesity, the second leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.

The American Obesity Association, the conference's sponsor, is a non-profit advocacy organization founded in 1995 whose fundamental mission is to have obesity regarded as a disease of epidemic proportions.