Is Obesity A National Security Threat?

By Virginia Prescott on Thursday, January 28, 2010.

Last night, President Obama singled out First Lady Michelle Obama’s work in preventing childhood obesity. New Hampshire’s First Lady, Susan Lynch, is backing mandatory childhood obesity screening. Researchers, however, are finding that being overweight is dangerous not only on a personal level, but poses a national security threat. It's estimated that around 13-17 percent of young men and women of prime military recruitment age would fail weight requirements for enlistment. Among active duty military, obesity-related illnesses cause three times more lost time than the overall rate and cost an estimated two billion a year.

Former Surgeon General David Satcher, declared “a state of emergency when it comes to obesity." The alarm has stirred a group of retired senior military leaders to form a bipartisan non-profit called Mission: Readiness. Amy Dawson Taggart is the group's national director and joined us on the show today.

GOOD- Is Obesity a National Security Problem?

(Photo by Combined Media via Flickr/CreativeCommons)

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Amy Taggart has completely missed the point here. The real national security threat stems from the fact those individuals INTERESTED IN SIGNING UP to join the military are disproportionately over-weight, unfit, uneducated and in possession criminal records. It is not as she seems to suggest, that all young people are becoming unfit. What these statistics really mean is that the military has become an unattractive option for people who ARE fit, educated and law-abiding. THAT is the real problem and the REAL national security threat.

Submitted by Joan on Thu, 01/28/2010 - 13:40.

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Word of Mouth is all about what's new. Online and on-air, the show looks at our fascinating and ever-changing world, and puts the latest ideas under a microscope. Word of Mouth investigates everything from science and technology, to health and the environment, to new trends in popular culture. The show airs Monday through Thursday at noon and is hosted by Virginia Prescott.