Fat Americans are a national security threat, warn generals

[Amplifier]

Rising rates of obesity among young Americans could undermine the future of the US military, two retired generals have warned.

More than a quarter of young Americans are now too fat to fight, they said.

Writing in the Washington Post, the ex-commanders said the fat crisis ruled out more potential military service recruits than any other medical factor.

They want Congress to introduce laws to give US children better nutrition in schools, with less sugar, salt and fat.

John Shalikashvili and Hugh Shelton, both former chairmen of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote: "Obesity rates threaten the overall health of America and the future strength of our military."

"We consider this problem so serious from a national security perspective that we have joined more than 130 other retired generals, admirals and senior military leaders in calling on Congress to pass new child nutrition legislation," the commanders added.

The warning comes amid mounting fears that childhood obesity has turned into an "epidemic" affecting an astonishing one in three young American people.

Mr Shalikashvili and Mr Shelton pointed to post-school lunch laws from 1946, which recognised that poor nutrition reduced the pool of military recruits.

"We must act, as we did after World War II, to ensure that our children can one day defend our country, if need be."

Obesity rates in the US have surged over the last year, according to one report .

The Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found adult obesity rates rose in 23 of the 50 states, but fell in none.

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8655651.stm

So sad..

[strawb3rrykream]

Oy vey. It would definitely be bad if soldiers in the military were huge, as in not muscular huge.
So that's why they changed the lunch menu and stuff at my school...my friend says it tastes very "healthy".

[Tyler_Wood_2005]

Is it because Fat "Boomers" were some of the worst zombies to have, should a zombie apocalypse happen??

[arun.yothin]

What do we need to be in shape for? Don't we just drop bombs on everything anyway?

[Scramasax]

That's why the Iraq war is taking so long.  So much running around... huff... huff.. 

Problem is, nutrition is only part of it.  They take all the playground equipment out because it's a liability.  They limit recess to give more time to classes.  And they go home and play violent video games and surf porn websites instead of playing basketball...   

[kuno_thunder]

Just put those guys on the front line to give the slimmer and faster guys a heads up.  Problem solved.

[shurastriker]

i'm not that fat =/