Americans Getting Too Fat To Serve In The Military: Cornell Study

Americans Getting Too Fat To Serve In The Military: Cornell Study

Americans' ability to serve is being thwarted by their size, a new Cornell University study reveals.

The Cornell Daily Sun has more:

According to [Professor John] Cawley, the number one reason that potential recruits are rejected from the armed forces is because they are obese -- making up 23 percent of rejected applications -- while the second highest reason, marijuana use, constitutes 12 percent of rejectees.

"When the military first started using these weight requirements, they were trying to weed out [those who were] malnourished," Cawley said, noting that the weight requirement now serves the opposite purpose.

USA Today reports that obesity-related problems now make up 17 percent of U.S. medical costs, adding up to $168 billion.

What do you think of these findings? Leave a comment with your opinion.

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