rss Subscribe to the RSS feed.
What's RSS?

The Conversation

Latest National Security Threat: Obesity

By: CHP | Posted on: May 3rd, 2010 | 5 comments | Share: Tweet This!
Categories: Disparities • Economic Issues • Policies and Laws • Nutrition

Latest National Security Threat: Obesity

Although we’ve been reporting on this issue for a long time, today retired U.S. Army Gen. John M. Shalikashvili and retired U.S. Army Gen. Hugh Shelton (both former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) have now declared obesity in the U.S. “the latest national security threat.”

In a Washington Post Op-Ed, the retired generals report the following:

  • Being overweight or obese is now the leading medical reason recruits are rejected for military service.
  • Approximately 27 percent of young Americans are too overweight to serve in the military.
  • From 1998 to 2008, the number of states reporting 40 percent or more youth overweight or obesity rate rose from one to 39.
  • Since 1995, the proportion of those failing their physical exams because of weight issues increased 70 percent.

The authors have now “joined more than 130 other retired generals, admirals and senior military leaders in calling on Congress to pass new child nutrition legislation.”

Among their recommendations for such new legislation:

  • Get junk food and high-calorie beverages out of schools.
  • Add $1 billion per year for 10 years to child nutrition programs.
  • Develop research-based strategies, implemented through our schools, to help parents and children adopt healthier lifelong eating and exercise habits.

The entire piece can be found here.



5 Comments:

1  Posted by Alex on April 14th, 2011 at 01:09 AM

Believe me when i say, obesity is not just a problem in US. I used to think it was all hyped back in 90’s when i would heard reports coming from US about junk food and the overweight problem. But as of late, statistics in my country are alarming as well as in rest of Europe. This is a serious issue and i don’t understand why governments are taking it so lightly. Your program sounds good. 1 billion dollars per year for 10 years sounds very promising, i can’t wait to see the results.

2  Posted by katie on March 28th, 2011 at 12:14 PM

Obesity is a huge health problem that is affecting US citizens.  It is not surprising that many people are getting rejected from military service.  I think we do need more control over our youths’ healthy living.  I think that programs are a necessity.  Exercise needs to be encouraged at an early age.

3  Posted by Finley on March 6th, 2011 at 02:05 PM

This brings up some very interesting point, and I think the image you used describes exactly why obesity is such a scary problem that we face. With the health epidemics spreading across this country during a time of instability worldwide, what would happen if the united states was thrust in to war. What would the government do when thirty percent of the people it drafts show up morbidly overweight on life alert? This is very scary indeed, here is a supplementary article from CNN I also enjoyed: http://articles.cnn.com/2010-12-06/opinion/frum.obesity.military_1_military-personnel-physical-education-military-service?_s=PM:OPINION

4  Posted by Cynthia H on May 19th, 2010 at 03:42 PM

Is it really going to take having this seen as a national security issue to open eyes?
Within our current agricultural, food and distribution systems it will be extremely difficult to implement change that truly leads to different outcomes.
As long as the use of government approved chemicals, bio-accumlative and endocrine disruptive toxins, etc continues, then talking about healthier lifestyles is just that - talk.  As long as the effects of genetically modified crops and foods aren’t studied for long-term effects, the words “healthier lifestyles” are just an empty conglomeration of letters.
Half answers are just as bad, long term, as no answers at all!

5  Posted by Melanie on May 18th, 2010 at 11:24 AM

Wow obesity as a serious threat to the nation’s health of course but as a threat to national security? that is quite an eye opener.



Join the conversation. Leave a comment.

Name: (required)

Email: (required) will not be published

Location:

URL:

Remember my personal information

Submit the word you see below:


Next entry: Kaiser National Essay Contest Winner: Corn Subsidies at Root of Obesity Epidemic
Previous entry: KFC & Komen - "Pinkwashing"?

Back to main