The U.S. military spends $1.24 billion each year to address obesity in the ranks, but Defense Department policies have been slow to adopt weight management treatments, including therapies and medications such as Wegovy or Zepbound, to address a major readiness concern, according to new research.
Obesity is the main reason potential recruits are disqualified from serving — preventing an estimated 52,000 from joining last year — and is a leading cause of separation from duty, with roughly 101,000 troops leaving from 2018 to 2022 for weight-related reasons, according to a paper published Wednesday by the American Security Project think tank.
During a forum to discuss the research and obesity’s impact on military readiness, health experts said the Pentagon has access to new treatment options to help service members effectively manage their weight but has been slow to address the issue.
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“There are service-specific policies that are in place that are old and outdated and confusing, that talk about how you can’t necessarily treat people with medications for anorexic purposes,” said Dr. Richele Corrado, director of Walter Reed’s Internal Medicine Comprehensive Weight Management Program. “A lot of people are fearful of the repercussions of treating people.”
Last year, the American Security Project, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank founded in 2006 by then-Sens….
