
When an entire nation has an obesity problem, it should be no surprise that its army will have one as well. These days, being “too fat to fight” is an increasingly common concern in the U.S. military. According to The Washington Post, obesity is now the leading cause of ineligibility among potential Army volunteers and current military personnel. Indeed, as pressure mounts for the Army to cut its budget, it has begun to dismiss troops who need to cut a few pounds. Here, a look at the Army’s weight problem, by the numbers:
241
Maximum weight, in pounds, for female enlistees
258
Maximum weight, in pounds, for male enlistees
116
Troops dismissed from the Army in 2007 for being out of shape
1,625
Troops dismissed from the Army in the first 10 months of 2012 for being out of shape
5.3
Percent of U.S. troops classified as overweight or obese in 2010
35.7
Percent of U.S. adults who are obese
75
Percent of civilians hoping to volunteer for the Army in 2009 who were physically ineligible to join, with obesity being the leading cause
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