Military Obesity Policies Need to Catch Up with Science, Look at New Weight Loss Drugs, Think Tank Says
Patricia Kime
Wed, September 4, 2024 at 6:18 PM EDT·
The U.S. military spends $1.24 billion each year to address obesity in the ranks, but Defense Department policies have been slow to adopt weight management treatments, including therapies and medications such as Wegovy or Zepbound, to address a major readiness concern, according to new research.
Obesity is the main reason potential recruits are disqualified from serving -- preventing an estimated 52,000 from joining last year -- and is a leading cause of separation from duty, with roughly 101,000 troops leaving from 2018 to 2022 for weight-related reasons, according to a paper published Wednesday by the American Security Project think tank.
During a forum to discuss the research and obesity's impact on military readiness, health experts said the Pentagon has access to new treatment options to help service members effectively manage their weight but has been slow to address the issue.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/military-obesity-policies-catch-science-221807413.html
