Most U.S. youths unfit to serve, data show

U.S. military-age youth are increasingly unfit to serve — mostly because they’re in such lousy shape.

According to the latest Pentagon figures, a full 35 percent, or more than one-third, of the roughly 31.2 million Americans aged 17 to 24 are unqualified for military service because of physical and medical issues. And, said Curt Gilroy, the Pentagon’s director of accessions, “the major component of this is obesity. We have an obesity crisis in the country. There’s no question about it.”

The Pentagon draws its data from the Centers for Disease Control, which regularly tracks obesity. The steadily rising trend is not good news for military recruiters, despite their recent successes, nor for the overall health of the U.S. population.

In 1987, according to the CDC, a mere 6 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds, or about 1 out of 20, were obese. In 2008, 22 years later, 23 percent of that age group — almost 1 out of 4 — was considered to be obese.

The CDC measures obesity by body mass index, a figure calculated from height and weight that is considered a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people. According to the CDC, the body mass index for a man standing 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds is 21.8; the normal range lies between 18.5 and 24.9. Below that range is considered underweight; a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight. A person with a body mass index of 30 or greater is considered to be obese.

Obese individuals are at increased risk for a number of diseases and health conditions, including hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, some cancers and other problems, according to the CDC. In addition to those concerns, the military rejects obese recruits in part because so much extra weight likely couldn’t be dropped during the course of basic training — even if they could get through the entire program.

“Kids are just not able to do push-ups,” Gilroy said. “And they can’t do pull-ups. And they can’t run.”

Full report at...

>>>http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/11/military_unfityouths_recruiting_110309w/

quote:

Obese individuals are at increased risk for a number of diseases and health conditions, including hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, some cancers and other problems, according to the CDC. In addition to those concerns, the military rejects obese recruits in part because so much extra weight likely couldn’t be dropped during the course of basic training — even if they could get through the entire program.

Eh, they'll apply for waivers and get thru basic without ever doing push-up number 1. Is anyone actually surprised this would happen when gym classes were cut from school curriculums over the years, and all those junk food vending machines were put into those schools lunch rooms ?

Guess thats why Americans need that universal healthcare coverage.

All you tweenkie eating MF's better get in shape.

quote:

Originally posted by MaddogK:

quote:

Obese individuals are at increased risk for a number of diseases and health conditions, including hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, some cancers and other problems, according to the CDC. In addition to those concerns, the military rejects obese recruits in part because so much extra weight likely couldn’t be dropped during the course of basic training — even if they could get through the entire program.

Eh, they'll apply for waivers and get thru basic without ever doing push-up number 1. Is anyone actually surprised this would happen when gym classes were cut from school curriculums over the years, and all those junk food vending machines were put into those schools lunch rooms ?

Guess thats why Americans need that universal healthcare coverage.

Not in the Corps

The thing I see most with a fat kid when I am out and about is their fat azz parents. They raise them to be in their own image. Ol'Mom and Dad don't want to be a fat azz on their own. There is no excuse for having fat kids, get them away from the tv and the video games and quit feeding them all those crappy foods. It will never happen though, what a shame. Maybe we should impose fines or penalties on fatties just like they do for smokers, 100.00 dollar fine for a fat azz to stand withen 20 feet of "Cold Stone" or "Boston Robbins",,, or whatever you can think up........

A JELLY DONUT PVT. PYLE?!?

quote:

Originally posted by BAGodbehere:
The thing I see most with a fat kid when I am out and about is their fat azz parents. They raise them to be in their own image. Ol'Mom and Dad don't want to be a fat azz on their own. There is no excuse for having fat kids, get them away from the tv and the video games and quit feeding them all those crappy foods. It will never happen though, what a shame. Maybe we should impose fines or penalties on fatties just like they do for smokers, 100.00 dollar fine for a fat azz to stand withen 20 feet of "Cold Stone" or "Boston Robbins",,, or whatever you can think up........

Don't give the control freak commies any more ideas, they already have taken enough freedoms away, and they are part of the reason for why there is an obesity problem to begin with, after all you can sit on the bench and still get a trophy from these clowns!

quote:

Originally posted by MaddogK:

quote:

Obese individuals are at increased risk for a number of diseases and health conditions, including hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, some cancers and other problems, according to the CDC. In addition to those concerns, the military rejects obese recruits in part because so much extra weight likely couldn’t be dropped during the course of basic training — even if they could get through the entire program.

Eh, they'll apply for waivers and get thru basic without ever doing push-up number 1. Is anyone actually surprised this would happen when gym classes were cut from school curriculums over the years, and all those junk food vending machines were put into those schools lunch rooms ?

Guess thats why Americans need that universal healthcare coverage.

I bet a few weeks (3-4 max) of targeted exercise would be all that the vast majority of these kids would need. Put them in a holdover unit that keeps them until they are thin enough and in good enough shape to have a good chance to get through basic.

quote:

According to the CDC, the body mass index for a man standing 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds is 21.8; the normal range lies between 18.5 and 24.9. Below that range is considered underweight; a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight.

If this is how they rate it I do not doubt that the numbers are increasing 6'2 170lbs and the BMI is less than 4 under being over weight? The Army minimum for a guy 6'2 is 148 I don't know many guys over 6'2 that are not in the 190-200 range on that scale I would say they must be mega fat.... heck at 17 you can weigh 201 before you even need taped to determine your BMI

quote:

Originally posted by rayld2:

quote:

Originally posted by MaddogK:

quote:

Obese individuals are at increased risk for a number of diseases and health conditions, including hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, some cancers and other problems, according to the CDC. In addition to those concerns, the military rejects obese recruits in part because so much extra weight likely couldn’t be dropped during the course of basic training — even if they could get through the entire program.

Eh, they'll apply for waivers and get thru basic without ever doing push-up number 1. Is anyone actually surprised this would happen when gym classes were cut from school curriculums over the years, and all those junk food vending machines were put into those schools lunch rooms ?

Guess thats why Americans need that universal healthcare coverage.

I bet a few weeks (3-4 max) of targeted exercise would be all that the vast majority of these kids would need. Put them in a holdover unit that keeps them until they are thin enough and in good enough shape to have a good chance to get through basic.

Now hold on ..... 30 plus years ago I was that overweight kid who wanted to join the Army. I wasn't offered a holdover unit that would keep me until I was thin enough to get in, I got told lose weight or you don't get in.

But 30 years ago the Army didn't need people like they do today you know that whole we are fight 2 wars thing plus 30 years ago they had a lot more people who were not too fat AND wanted to join the Army to choose from

Of the 60 some % left how Many of those DO NOT want to join the Army? Especially seeing how it's not "just a college program" any more IE the chances of getting shot at and or killed are infinitley better today than they were 30 years ago.

quote:

Originally posted by BAGodbehere:
The thing I see most with a fat kid when I am out and about is their fat azz parents. They raise them to be in their own image.

BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by BAGodbehere:
Maybe we should impose fines or penalties on fatties just like they do for smokers, 100.00 dollar fine for a fat azz to stand withen 20 feet of "Cold Stone" or "Boston Robbins",,, or whatever you can think up........

Double BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by SignalSgtWilliams:

quote:

Originally posted by BAGodbehere:
The thing I see most with a fat kid when I am out and about is their fat azz parents. They raise them to be in their own image.

BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I see fat people...

quote:

Originally posted by 67NOV:

quote:

Originally posted by SignalSgtWilliams:

quote:

Originally posted by BAGodbehere:
The thing I see most with a fat kid when I am out and about is their fat azz parents. They raise them to be in their own image.

BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I see fat people...

Me too and they are always riding the electric shopping carts in WallyWorld. One can not walk down the cookie and cake isle because it's a damn traffic jam.

The truth hurts, but it will set you free.
You know who you are out there.
Do something about it.

SSW and I are on to you.

scoutsout1
Experienced Member

quote:

Don't give the control freak commies any more ideas, they already have taken enough freedoms away, and they are part of the reason for why there is an obesity problem to begin with, after all you can sit on the bench and still get a trophy from these clowns!

Sorry, I usually do a better job of thinking ahead. I agree with your whole post.

Like minds,

quote:

Originally posted by NSNN:

psssh that chump change.



The king

"""http://heartattackgrill.com/::

quote:

Originally posted by CannonsFront:

quote:

According to the CDC, the body mass index for a man standing 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds is 21.8; the normal range lies between 18.5 and 24.9. Below that range is considered underweight; a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight.

If this is how they rate it I do not doubt that the numbers are increasing 6'2 170lbs and the BMI is less than 4 under being over weight? The Army minimum for a guy 6'2 is 148 I don't know many guys over 6'2 that are not in the 190-200 range on that scale I would say they must be mega fat.... heck at 17 you can weigh 201 before you even need taped to determine your BMI

Charts and even the tape method are inaccurate and should NOT be trusted. For example at 6'2" I weighted about 240lb while I was in and by ACCURATE body fat % tests was well under the score for being overweight (I did not fit the charts so I had to prove to the doctor I was not overweight). For me the reason the charts and the tape method would not work are the ratio of leg length to total height (If I had the avg ratio I would have been about 6'6"), the width of my shoulders (50"), a lot heavier than avg build and a greater muscle mass. I would have had to be about 260 to be overweight (have a real body fat percentage of over 17-20%).