I found an article today about the newest 'revelation' by the USDA. A spokesman from the USDA, Kevin Concannon, stated that "Obesity is not just a health issue. It is an economic and national security issue." Now, I'm sure that this leaves several of you scratching your heads just like I was. Obesity is a national security issue? They've got to be kidding!
They later stated in this article that it was the same sort of thing that Michelle Obama had said in December of 2010, "Military leaders tell us that when more than one in four young people are unqualified for military service because of their weight, childhood obesity isn’t just a public health threat, it’s not just an economic threat, it’s a national security threat as well." Now obesity may be a factor in not allowing you into the military, but then of course there has always been a good reason behind that. If you can't keep your body in shape and ready for the physical rigors of a battlefield you shouldn't be there to begin with. It's pretty straight forward.
When I was in we went through what were called "weight and tapes" where they checked your weight and compared it to your BMI (body mass index). According to their weight chart I was always overweight. I kept a solid 160 lbs all the way through my military service and their 'standard' for a woman of my size was 141 lbs. My BMI was low enough however that I never had a problem. As they say, muscle weighs more than fat.
As far as obesity preventing people from joining the military, that's not entirely true. The recruiter's job is to make sure that if you want to join the military they will do everything in their power to get you in. Military recruiting stations often hold events to help prepare those wanting to get in for the physical challenges and I've often heard of recruiters helping overweight applicants create a workout routine to get in. The thing is that like all workouts, unless you have a drive to do it you won't. While for some obesity is a symptom of illness this is usually not the case. For many who are overweight it is the lack of drive to manage their weight better. The only person who can make you exercise or who can make you eat better is ultimately you!
Regulating what kids can or cannot eat at school doesn't teach them anything. They are not in school every moment of everyday and will get to eat what they want at a later time. It's the same thing as preventing the sale of 'large' sodas. Well, just order more sodas and you don't have to worry about it.
The problem is that they're wanting it to appear that they are doing more for us, that they're looking out for our well being. What they should be doing is stop wondering whether or not my kid eats too much chocolate milk and worry more about what is allowed to be put INTO that chocolate milk. That is their job, not to make my nutritional decisions for me.
The current government is being allowed to do too many things 'for the good of the people' that restrict everyone's way of life. That was the whole point of this country, ability to choose for ourselves! USDA, We want our freedom back!!!
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