Three-hundred-ninety million pounds. That is the weight of 2,910 Army tanks or more than three Navy battleships.
It is also the number of pounds that young Americans collectively need to lose to reach a healthy weight, according U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
As a former commanding general of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, I am concerned. The U.S. Department of Defense estimates that nationwide one in four young adults is too overweight to join the military, and many who are accepted are unable to complete their training due to weight-related issues. Weight problems have become the leading medical reason why young adults are unable to serve in the military.
In Georgia, more than 20 percent of our children are obese, giving our state the second-highest childhood obesity rate in the country. Over the past three decades, these numbers have skyrocketed, as have our children’s long-term health risks from diet-related diseases like diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Concerned that the obesity crisis is limiting the pool of young adults qualified to enlist, more than 200 retired admirals and generals, including myself, strongly supported congressional passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
This legislation provides the framework to revolutionize what foods are served and sold in schools. But there is a problem. School cafeterias operate on extremely tight budgets, and thousands of schools, including many in Georgia, do not have the resources necessary to meet the higher nutrition standards expected to be in place within the next year.
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 will increase reimbursement to schools that meet the standards by an additional 6 cents per meal to help offset food prices. It is a start, but the cost of buying more nutritious food is only one step toward putting healthier meals on students’ trays. Many schools lack the proper kitchen equipment needed for healthier cooking methods, and their staff often doesn’t have adequate training. To realize the intent of the law, Congress can support schools in two areas.
First, help schools upgrade kitchen equipment. Some cafeterias only have the capacity to reheat pre-packaged food. Other schools rely on deep-fat fryers and lack equipment to prepare healthy foods. Without the right equipment to prepare healthy meals and avoid food safety risks, many schools will make only marginal progress under the new law.
Second, help schools provide cafeteria workers with training. Food service workers need training in healthy cooking methods like roasting and baking so they can move away from microwaving and deep frying.
Yes, our schools still have a way to go in combating the child obesity epidemic, but signs of improvement can be found throughout Georgia. In several Georgia counties, for example, the farm-to-school program is allowing students to try a new, locally grown fruit or vegetable each month.
As a former general, I know how critical this is for developing able-bodied citizens who are able to serve their country.
Retired Maj. Gen. Jack C. Wheeler, U.S. Army, serves on the Executive Advisory Council of Mission: Readiness. He lives in Fayetteville.
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