COVID-19 Causes Surge in Obesity Among U.S. Army Soldiers

Nearly 10,000 active duty soldiers in the US Army developed obesity between February 2019 and June 2021, pushing the rate to nearly a quarter of the troops studied. Increases were seen in the US Navy and the Marines, too. Overweight and obese troops are more likely to be injured and less likely to endure the physical demands of their profession. The military loses more than 650,000 workdays each year because of extra weight and obesity-related health costs exceed $1.5 billion annually for current and former service members and their families, federal research shows.