Twenty-seven Percent of Possible Military Recruits Cannot Qualify Because of Obesity

The National Journal convened a policy summit to examine the growing national security threat posed by a shrinking pool of Americans lean enough to serve in the military. At a time when U.S. forces are stretched thin overseas, obesity is the leading medical disqualifier for military service. Some 27% of potential recruits between the ages of 17-24 would weigh too much to qualify to enlist in the armed forces. This presents a security threat for the nation as it creates challenges for the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, who together must attract more than 184,000 new recruits annually. 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.