A new Department of Defense study shows the U.S. Navy has the most overweight service members in the military, though obesity rates are up across all services.
The Marine Corps was the least obese at 8.3% compared to 22% for the Navy. The Army came in at 17.4% – the military average – and the Air Force at 18.1%.
"This report highlights obesity as a growing health concern among Sailors," the study's authors commented about their findings in the August issue of the DOD’s Medical Surveillance Monthly Report.
"Obesity contributes to hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, all-cause mortality, and increased healthcare costs."
The study used body mass index as its measuring tool. All troops who scored higher than 30 on the index were considered obese.
The problem has worsened over the past nine years. In 2011, just 6.4% of the Army and 9.4% of the Air Force was obese. Only 2.3% of the Marine Corps was obese.
The DOD spends about $1.5 billion annually in obesity-related health costs, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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