"America’s Soldiers Are Fatter Than Ever. Here’s ..." Topic

…The Army's Plan To Fix That

"The U.S. Army is bulking up — just not in the way it probably intended.

In October 2016, a Department of Defense study revealed that the Army was the fattest of all the service branches, with 10.5% of soldiers classified as overweight based on body mass index. But less than a year later, the problem appears to have worsened: At the 2017 Medical Symposium on June 24, the Army Surgeon General's Office presented data indicating that a full 13% of soldiers are now overweight.

Army officials claim to have a solution in the works, and not just in terms of more intensive PT. Called "Holistic Health and Fitness," the initiative aims to improve soldiers' physical performances, performance education, and fitness centers, according to an Army press release — and initiative that includes removing unhealthy food from vending machines, offering cleaner meals in chow halls, and adding vegan and vegetarian dishes, similar to the Marine Corps' switch to healthier chow fare in March…"
Main page
link

Amicalement
Armand

So the military mirrors society's problems -- too many people will only eat junk food.

There's something weirdly ironic about how people, at least in Western nations, are getting fatter and less healthy all the time yet it's never been easier or cheaper to eat well. But the will to do so isn't there. Probably doesn't say anything complimentary about our species.

you cannot base anything on BMI, body mass index. If you are weight lifter and thus have a large muscle mass you will always come out poorly on the BMI scale. Muscle weighs more than fat. Most soldiers now days are pretty heavy weight lifters. For example the movie star the Rock on a BMI measurement would come out as Obese.

Salty greasy sugary food in large quantities just tastes better to our primitive brains, which still respond as if every meal may be the only one available for the foreseeable future.

I'm not saying the problem is unsolvable. It just takes effort to learn to like other foods.

rxpjks, yes, I saw that even waaay back when I was on Active duty. I lifted weights pretty much most of my life back at that time. Staying at the 171 lbs.[IIRC] was the standard for my height. That was always a challenge.

And I didn't, don't, never did or will ever look anything like the Rock !

I remember being in the Bde gym. And the Bde Cdr was in there working out. He told[ordered !] me to stop lifting such heavy weight. I was getting too big. So I did.

And believe me, I didn't think I was that big or even lifting weights that heavy. And I'm not kidding, seriously I was not that big or lifting very heavy weights. But the BC's intent was clear … I/we had to stay a 171 lbs, etc. So most of the time I did … Those were Army standards. Whether I/we liked it or not.

I also always thought that C-Rats being @ 2000-3000 calories was way too high for general training. Those calories may be expended in actual "combat" or e.g. at RANGER, etc. type training.

Hence the "C" in "C-Rat" = Combat – Rations, as we know. And it was generally meant to be for 1 day's consumption, i.e. 1 C-Rat/day. But just going to the Range, etc., no way would you expend that many calories. Even e.g. including a long march to & back from the Range, etc.

Part it is being disciplined to just eat less and expend more calories. But as many know that is not always very easy …

Plus as mentioned this is generally very much a 1st World problem. Many places on the planet is still struggling to get enough calories just to survive.