14% of Australia's troops obese

[gav]

After spending 4yrs in the Army I can tell you this is definitely true, but the problem started way before the change in recruit standards in 2006. The majority of the guys I did my basic training with had stacked on 10KG or more after just 1yr of service.

Whilst the over weight troops do have to take the blame for their condition (especially when they do regular physical training and have free access to gym), I think the poor quality of mess food and drinking culture of the ADF play a huge role.

14% of nations troops obese

http://bigpondnews.com/articles/National/2009/02/22/14_of_nations_troops_obese_305359.html

Sunday, February 22, 2009

More than 7500 of the nation's 53,000 military troops are now classified as obese, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) says.

At least one in seven members of the Australian military is overweight, more than three times the ratio recorded last month by the US military, official figures released show.

The Sunday Telegraph reports that obesity has become 'an issue' for personnel.

The ADF has commissioned its specialist research centre, based at the University of Queensland, to investigate possible causes.

The study is expected to look at the changes to recruiting standards in 2006, when fatter recruits were admitted to 'broaden the selection pool'.

The ADF's obesity rate at the moment is 14 per cent, ADF surgeon-general Major Paul Alexander says.

 

[Sean K]

When I joined RMC in '92 I was about 82kg and very low body fat. Was an exercise physiologist at the time in QLD.

Within 8 weeks of joining the 'elite' leadership training school in the country in Canberra I had put on 10kg of fat and lost about 5kg of muscle. Around a bouts.

People who think Defence is the place of the fittest specimens in the country are deluded. I mean, how hard is it to pull a trigger now? .....

The Army is still extremely immature with it's fitness programs and can do much much better is designing individual training programs to each person and then following them though. And that is the key. No one follows through individual programs. The PTI's are too busy being crayfish!

However, having read the news article this morning, I can't help but think this is some sort of political agenda. I don't know what, but geeesh, there are medical tests, and fitness tests, and routines that soldiers go through. Simple. The only exceptions are critial trades like doctors, pet ops, and the like.

This is a really bizaar national interest story from the Aus.



The fires must all be out.

 

[theasxgorilla]

The ADF has commissioned its specialist research centre, based at the University of Queensland, to investigate possible causes.

I thought it was common sense. If you're doing physical exercise and still getting fat then it's what you're putting into your body that is the cause/problem.

 

[pacestick]

This was aproblem thirty years ago when I Nwas in the forces we used to work on it with remedial PY and special diets. The guys hated it but it had a good success rate

 

[Happy]

If not enough exercise to burn off calories, maybe diet should have less, simple.

 

[noirua]

All a load of rubbish. It's well known that Aussie troops are the strongest in the World. FAT! Indeed not, just musclebound.

 

[sting]

I admit I have put on 15kg in the last few yrs and am considered obese by the BMI test. But thereein lies the problem althoughI have no medical background other than having undertaken a Combat Medic Course years ago I consider the BMI score to be unreliable.

Agreed due to my age my testing requirements are lower than when I first joined 30yrs ago but I still feel that I am capable of fulfilling my tasks. True if thrown by a paper error into a spec ops group in the sandpit I would struggle but then again it will never happen.

My weight increased when a GRES Officer i was offered a posting to a position that gave me an additional 50 days ie 150 tax free paid days @ approx $200/day excluding field allow thanks to a pay increase on the 19th. My fulltime work was unhappy about the extra days and was told "off the record" to consider where I wanted to work. At that time with the market climbing, A small successful sideline business and limited debt I retired ..no more hour + driving from one side of Bris to the other.

This resulted in the weight increase which puts me into the 100 to 105kg area
But I am still more than capable of fulfilling my tasking requirements.

So piss of the BMI and focus on fitness testing relevant to tasking requirements and you will see the 14% will greatly reduce

OBIQUE

 

[Calliope]

Our police forces have the same problem On the other hand our crooks spend most of their jail time keeping fit, and muscle building

I also noticed that a lot of the Emergency Service Workers involved in the fires were also overweight. Even in carefully posed photographs of Mr Rudd he was often shown flanked by overweight Emergency Service Workers. I am pretty sure that if they could have got thinner ones they would have.

 

[Stormin_Norman]

100% of military spending is cancerous too.

 

[glenn_r]

I wonder how many 70kg guys could throw around 45kg 155mm artillery rounds for days on end as well as digging in weapon pits and also bringing into and out of action 7500kg guns with stores at Australia's premier holiday resorts, Mt Bundy and sunny Pucka.
Geez it's horses for courses and one size does not fit all, anyway Gunners are chauffeured around in Mack trucks, but I do admire the grunts who cart their house around on their back....

I bet a lot of the so called 14% obese are cockroaches anyway.

Ubique

 

[sting]

Thinking a bit more I wonder where the majority of the 14% comes from I am thinking GRES and Support Troops, anyone know a BQ/RQ who isnt carrying a bit of extra weight also thinking back to my early ARA days all those Crusty old WO1/2 complete with loud voice/repetative sayings and a beer gut to match. But in saying that most of them could and would outperform 90% of the troopies.

My work now is mainly DS/RCO and a lot of the othe old and bold DS's also carry a bit of weight. Yes I have become one of those much scorned REMF that we all put **** on.

Am interested in any other current or ex serving Pers on the accuracy of the BMI score. I have taken this up with PTI staff and the answer seems to be yes there are faults but there is no other more accurate quick and low cost method available.

UBIQUE

PS with ref to my prev signature "Obique" I can spell just can't type

 

[Gunlom]

I was in 2 RAR from 98 to 03 and accept for being in the field or on deployment, we did PT almost every day in the morning. So you would assume that we would be all ultra fit...

But even with a platoon of 25 odd guys there was a incredible range of fitness, some guys where freakishly fit, other's would struggle to run more than 3-4 kms without slowing down alot.

But I'll always remember the slowest guy in our platoon, struggled to run or do much PT ( maybe he didn't care that much, and was abit of a alcoholic ) but put a pack on his back, and he could march or patrol all day long.

And we sometimes got through really fit people, with no guts or heart that would struggle to pack march or patrol, for any length of time

People are all different shapes and sizes, that trouble with BMI or BFA's (Basic Fitness Assesments) is that they standardize everyone, not assess with the person is capable of doing there job effectively. Which ultimately is the best assessment.

But all large organizations have to have set down guidelines on things and can't just let individuals or sub-units work out things for themselves. Just the way things are.

 

[numbercruncher]

The navy boys are the fatest - make em swim a few more laps thanks Captain.

 

[Tysonboss1]

After spending 4yrs in the Army I can tell you this is definitely true, but the problem started way before the change in recruit standards in 2006. The majority of the guys I did my basic training with had stacked on 10KG or more after just 1yr of service.
.

first of all a 14% obese rate is much lower than the rest of australia,

Sencondly it all depends what sort of unit your from, Obviously support units have a much higher obese rate than combat units considering most members of support units are cooks, truck drivers, store men, constructon workers, pay clerks, administration and hq elements, nurses, doctors, medic's etc etc.

The biggest thing that pissed me off with that photo in the paper was the way the two slobs dressed as soldiers were walking out of that take away store with no hats on, stuffing there faces this alone shows their lack of soldierly qualities let alone their weight.... they should have had their slouch hat on, and take away food neatly in a bag held in there left hand, uniforms ironed and they would not have looked so disgracful in the photo,

 

[jonnycage]

damn these slow aussie news days! looking forward to what they can dig up next, hopefully straight from the ACA / today tonight vaults

jonny

 

[numbercruncher]

damn these slow aussie news days! looking forward to what they can dig up next, hopefully straight from the ACA / today tonight vaults

jonny

Tonight is a story about Oolong tea that shreds? the fat ...

 

[nunthewiser]

well..............

Being a fat bugga myself i have no problems with our forces havin a few extra kilo,s

 

[Mofra]

4.5 years of service, not surprised at all. Plenty of the older types driving desks (looking at you Support Command) who don't bother with the fitness requirements; in reality they are managers in uniform anyway.

 

[gav]

Whilst I agree with many of the points raised, ie. more non-combat units have overweight ppl, and BMI not being a "true" indicator of obesity (hell I'm 10% bodyfat at the moment and according to BMI I am borderline obese for my height)... I still think there are far too many troops carrying far too much fat.

So what if they can still do their job carrying extra fat? I never served under anyone who accepted the bare minimum. If they lost the belly they would be able to perform their duties even better. Also, carrying the extra weight will increase the risk of injury.

And I think one of the worst examples for this was Peter Cosgrove. I met him when I was deployed overseas in 2004, and could not believe how fat he was. He was carrying enough extra weight to put 2 people in the "obese" category. Now I this would not affect the way he did his job commanding the ADF, but being in the public eye you would think he would have taken a bit more care of himself.

I also think its funny that a lot of the general public perceive our soldiers to be super fit. Yes there are some very fit people in the ADF (I prided myself on my fitness level, always in the top 2 or 3 for my unit), but generally your average gym goer will be more fit...

 

[fapturbo]

I bet 100% of the overweight soldiers all come from support battalions especially transport.

Having served for 7years in RAR myself 1994-2001 the majority of overweight people I saw were mostly from transport or working in non combat roles.