Battle Zone: U.S. Military Wages War On Obesity

WASHINGTONWeight Watchers International, Inc., and National Journal today convened a policy summit to examine the growing national security threat posed by a shrinking pool of Americans physically fit enough to serve in the military.

Over the past 50 years, the number of age-eligible men who exceed the U.S. Army's entry standards for weight-for-height and body fat percentage has more than doubled. For military-age women, the figure has more than tripled. Today, nearly 30% of potential military candidates ages 17 to 24 years cant qualify for the military because theyre overweight. The military also discharges about 1,200 entry-level candidates each year due to their inability to meet fitness and weight standards.

"It is time to ensure that our population's excess weight does not weaken our military forces," said David Kirchhoff, CEO and President of Weight Watchers International which underwrote the event. "We convened this summit with National Journal because it is vital to work together to address the fact that too many otherwise eligible men and women who want to serve their country can't because they weigh too much to qualify. Our goal today is to help develop and highlight resources to help current and prospective servicemen and servicewomen achieve and maintain a healthy weight."

Among the insights highlighted at the summit is the growing body of scientific research that shows the effectiveness and affordability of community-based weight loss programs. For example, a recent study indicated that that a brief intervention by a physician, that included referral to the community-based weight-loss program Weight Watchers, helped overweight and obese adults lose more than twice as much weight as those who received standard care alone. The programs also are scalable, offering the potential to support weight management efforts on military bases and in military communities.

In February, the Department of Defense introduced a new obesity and nutrition awareness campaign that changed nutrition standards across all branches of the U.S. military for the first time in 20 years, and encouraged U.S. military, retirees and their families to make better nutritional choices and to take a more active role in their personal health.

The new standards are designed to give troops and their families more access to fresh fruits and vegetables, more whole grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy products. The healthier choices will be turning up in service member dining halls and military base schools, vending machines and snack bars.