The United States Army is battling the "bulge," as a number of soldiers are being axed due to being overweight.
The U.S. Army is trimming its fat by a giving the boot to soldiers who are packing extra pounds. According to the Huffington Post, the army dismissed 1,625 soldiers earlier this year for being overweight and failing fitness test. The figure is 15 times the amount of dismissed soldiers in 2007.
Former Navy SEAL Stew Smith, a military fitness expert, told the media outlet that most cases of excessive weight among soldiers are due to large food portions and a sedentary lifestyle.
According to the Post, some soldiers' families said they are being unfairly targeted after serving their country, while others point to the nationwide obesity epidemic's toll on potential military recruits.
Statistics in a Cornell study, reported by CBS, said the share of military-age men who couldn't meet the enlistment standard for body weight doubled over the previous 50 years, while the percentage tripled among women. The Americans unfit for duty in 2007 and 2008 could form their own army: 5.7 million men and 16.5 million women.
In an attempt to modernize their fitness regime, the army somewhat overhauled the training program in 2010 to include yoga and Pilate's according to the New York Times. People in the field said being overweight is the main reason why potential recruits aren't allowed to serve in the military.
"This is not just an Army issue," Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling told the Times in 2010. "This is a national issue."
