Below is an article that I found that was published in Yahoo News regarding obesity in the US Military. It was very shocking! It is my opinion that more resources need to be offered to the soldiers and families to help deter this problem, whether it is within the government or a third party.



YAHOO NEWS!
Obesity in US military doubled since 2003
Tue Feb 10, 11:49 pm ET
AFP/File – US soldiers take part in a handover ceremony north of Baghdad. Since the start of the Iraq War in 2003 …
WASHINGTON, (AFP) – Since the start of the Iraq War in 2003 the number of overweight and obese US military has doubled, in keeping with the national trend but also due to the stress of deployment, a Pentagon study said.
"In the past decade among active military members in general, the percent of military members who experienced medical encounters for overweight/obesity has steadily increased; and since 2003, rates of increase have generally accelerated," said the report published in January.
In 1998, the number of military personnel diagnosed overweight or obese stood at 25,652, or 1.6 percent of the entire armed forces. In 2003, it increased to 34,333 (2.1 percent), and from then to 2008 the number doubled to 68,786 (4.4 percent of the total).
A 2005 poll of the US military established that "stress and return from deployment were the most frequently cited reasons for recent weight gain," the report said. The US military has shown signs of overall exhaustion after years of deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan.
And beside weight gain, the US Army has seen a sharp increase in suicides that hit a record 143 in 2008, compared to 115 the year before. The weight increase of US servicemen and women reflects the weight-gaining tendency of the general US population, where 20 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds are considered obese.
As with the civilian population, the rise in obesity among the military is largely blamed on fast food and physically passive recreational activities including videogames, television and movies, the study said.
"Overweight/obesity is a significant military medical concern because it is associated with decreased military operational effectiveness ... and both acute and chronic adverse health effects," the Pentagon report said.


If anyone should have any other information that they would like for me to share in regards to what can help with this obesity epidemic, please respond.

Thanks,

Andrea

I place no blame on my obesity on anyone or anything but my own body. In my case it was an injury that I will have for a lifetime--without surgery. This is something that I'll just have to deal with. I work on it, consult experts, etc....but in the end, it's my responsibility---not the Army's--to get myself in shape.

quote:

Originally posted by 21778746:
If anyone should have any other information that they would like for me to share in regards to what can help with this obesity epidemic, please respond.

How about this: eat less, exercise more. Or, if you'd prefer a more technical response: one's caloric intake should be less than one expends.

Every military branch has weight control programs. And nutritionists. BAW is absolutely correct -- it boils down to individual responses to the tools and resources that are available.

quote:

Originally posted by 21778746:
It is my opinion that more resources need to be offered to the soldiers and families to help deter this problem, whether it is within the government or a third party.

They already offer free gyms to active duty and their families, nutrition classes, healthy activities for the kids, parks, counseling from Military One Source, etc...

Sorry, I agree with BAW and dena.

Plus, the article even admits that: "As with the civilian population, the rise in obesity among the military is largely blamed on fast food and physically passive recreational activities including videogames, television and movies, the study said."

I know that the military isn't exactly a mirror of society (I spent almost 10 years on active duty myself), but it is a small microcosm of it.

The main problem with obesity in today's world is:

Proper diet
Proper sleep
Proper exercise

Yes, things are hectic, economy sux, etc. but if you do not devote effort into these three things, you are only hurting yourself.