U.S. Army May Have the Solutions For Childhood Obesity

Good nutrition and exercise are the solutions to the increasing cases of obesity worldwide. Most victims of obesity are children, because of lack of physical activities due to computer games and poor diet brought by fast-foods.



The United States first lady Michelle Obama is an advocate against childhood obesity visited Fort Jackson in central South Carolina to give a speech for the new batch of soldiers' graduation ceremony and to learn how the military developed their new recruits into strong and healthy soldiers.

The first lady was briefed by Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling on the latest development on the army's diet and exercise regimen.

Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling was the one responsible in overhauling the U.S. army way of feeding the troops during training and also replaced the physical training routine.

Foods in the mess halls such as fried foods, sugar-laden desserts and soda are replaced with dark greens, whole grains and no-fat milk.

Color coding of foods was also implemented to make soldiers aware of the nutritional value of each food. The color code on each food such as red, yellow and green specify which foods are for energy, which ones will keep them full and which should be taken in moderation.

Exercises were also replaced with new ones to build core body strength and stamina. Bayonet drills have been replaced with zigzag sprints, pugil stick workouts and stepped up calisthenics to increase power, strength and agility for soldiers facing mentally and physically demanding campaigns in places like Afghanistan.

New recruits were also closely monitored by their drill sergeants during mealtime. Drill sergeants will call on recruits who were observed not putting enough fruits and vegetables on their platter, and hold hour-long sessions on good nutrition to help them understand how it can affect their performance.

According to Army officials the nation's security is at risk because the numbers of healthy recruits are becoming fewer, only one in four 17 to 24 year-olds is qualified to join the military because of health, weight, or legal reasons.


We may not treat our children like recruits in the Army but we can encourage and promote to them the benefits of including fruits and vegetables in their daily diet. Help them to balance their playing time inside and outside the house.

Source: Yahoo News