The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) reveals that over 22,000 troops in its British Army were discovered to be overweight in the last three years, not only placing themselves at risk of a number of health problems but of being discharged from the service as well.
MoD says over 10 soldiers who have overweight issues are being released in a year. Worse scenario occurred between January 2002 and March 31, 2013 when at least 50 troops were discharged for being obese.
The agency also relates that 32,419 soldiers, both male and female, failed the basic personal fitness tests of the Army, which only happen twice in a year, for about three years now. The figures were based from March 2011 to March 2014 and included British troops that may have been based in Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
The fitness test or assessment requires some rigorous physical activities that soldiers must pass. Soldiers who fail all these tests are required to retake the fitness assessment in seven days. Failure to pass the tests for a number of times could lead to disciplinary action or being released from the service.
Research says male soldiers below 30 years old must be able to perform 50 sit-ups and 44 press-ups, both two minutes each, and a 1.5-mile run in no more than 10 minutes and 30 seconds. Meanwhile, female soldiers of the same age group are also required to do 50 sit-ups, 21 press-ups and a 1.5-mile run in no more than 13 minutes. Troops must also partake in an 8-mile march in two hours, once a year, but carrying a sack that weighs up to a maximum of 25kg. The number of sit-ups, press-ups and timed run varies depending on age bracket set by the Army.
Besides the fitness assessment, the obese soldiers are said to be at risk of shortness of breath, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.
An unnamed source of The Sunday Times points the blame to the poor diet of service men and women.
“While soldiers can have salads and low-calorie meals, they can also have a cooked breakfast, followed by chips at lunch and chips at dinner and a stodgy pudding too,” the senior officer says [subscription required].
On the other hand, Professor David Haslam, who is the National Obesity Forum chairman, says these statistics are “worrying.”
“It’s their job to be fit and well to look after our country. It’s a necessity,” Haslam says to the Daily Mail.
An unnamed spokesman from the MoD, however, says the statistics were only a representation of a small number of British troops, 11 percent to be exact.
“All personnel are provided with the support and training necessary to meet the Army’s physical standards, with additional help for those personnel who fail to meet this criteria. Personnel who remain unable to meet the standard could ultimately be discharged,” says the spokesman.
