Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Obesity Prevention in the Military

  • Obesity Prevention (A Must, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Obesity Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

The objective was to review prevention efforts and approaches attempting to limit the problem of obesity in the military.

Recent Findings

Various individual-level initiatives have emerged, including programs promoting healthy cooking, meal planning, and other behavior changes among service members. Importantly, the military is attempting to tackle environmental factors contributing to the rise of obesity, by focusing on many recent environmental-level interventions and initiatives to improve military dining facilities and examine and modify other aspects of installations’ built environments.

Summary

Although published research within the military setting directed towards obesity prevention is limited, many innovative programs have been launched and need to be followed forward. The review of past and ongoing efforts can be an important step in identifying specific areas needing improvement, gaps that should be considered, lessons learned, and characteristics of successful programs that should be disseminated as best practices and further expanded.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance

  1. Eilerman PA, Herzog CM, Luce BK, Chao SY, Walker SM, Zarzabal LA, et al. A comparison of obesity prevalence: military health system and United States populations, 2009-2012. Mil Med. 2014;179(5):462–70. doi:10.7205/milmed-d-13-00430.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Faststats: obesity and overweight. 2015. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm.

  3. Barlas FHW, et al. 2011 Department of Defense Health Related Behaviors Survey of Active Duty Military Personnel: Military Health System 2013.

  4. Sammito S. Obesity intervention during a work health promotion: the obesity intervention program of the German military forces. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine / American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2013;55(7):728–31. doi:10.1097/JOM.0b013e318297337b.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Tanofsky-Kraff M, Sbrocco T, Theim KR, Cohen LA, Mackey ER, Stice E, et al. Obesity and the US military family. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md). 2013;21(11):2205–20. doi:10.1002/oby.20566.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Smith TJ, Marriott BP, Dotson L, Bathalon GP, Funderburk L, White A, et al. Overweight and obesity in military personnel: sociodemographic predictors. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md). 2012;20(7):1534–8. doi:10.1038/oby.2012.25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Hruby A, Hill OT, Bulathsinhala L, McKinnon CJ, Montain SJ, Young AJ, et al. Trends in overweight and obesity in soldiers entering the US Army, 1989-2012. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md). 2015;23(3):662–70. doi:10.1002/oby.20978.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Diagnoses of overweight/obesity, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 1998–2010. Msmr. 2011;18(1):7–11.

  9. Cowan DN, Bedno SA, Urban N, Yi B, Niebuhr DW. Musculoskeletal injuries among overweight army trainees: incidence and health care utilization. Occupational medicine (Oxford, England). 2011;61(4):247–52. doi:10.1093/occmed/kqr028.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Sullivan PW, Ghushchyan V, Ben-Joseph RH. The effect of obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors on expenditures and productivity in the United States. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md). 2008;16(9):2155–62. doi:10.1038/oby.2008.325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Funderburk LK, Arsenault JE. Prevalence of abnormal serum lipids among overweight and obese soldiers. Mil Med. 2013;178(10):1137–40. doi:10.7205/milmed-d-13-00096.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Reyes-Guzman CM, Bray RM, Forman-Hoffman VL, Williams J. Overweight and obesity trends among active duty military personnel: a 13-year perspective. Am J Prev Med. 2015;48(2):145–53. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2014.08.033.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Sanderson PW, Clemes SA, Biddle SJ. Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of obesity in the British Army. Ann Hum Biol. 2014;41(3):193–200. doi:10.3109/03014460.2014.881918.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Mission readiness: military leaders for kids. New Obesity Report: "Too Fat to Fight". 2011.

  15. Collier AK. Too fat to fight: is the obesity crisis a national security risk? 2016. http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/too-fat-fight-obesity-crisis-national-security-risk-n582331.

  16. Stewart T, Han H, Allen RH, Bathalon G, Ryan DH, Newton Jr RL, et al. H.E.A.L.T.H.: efficacy of an internet/population-based behavioral weight management program for the U.S. Army. Journal of diabetes science and technology. 2011;5(1):178–87.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Duration of service after overweight-related diagnoses, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 1998–2010. Msmr. 2011;18(6):2–6.

  18. Cawley J, Maclean JC. Unfit for service: the implications of rising obesity for US military recruitment. Health Econ. 2012;21(11):1348–66. doi:10.1002/hec.1794.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Dall TM, Zhang Y, Chen YJ, Wagner RC, Hogan PF, Fagan NK, et al. Cost associated with being overweight and with obesity, high alcohol consumption, and tobacco use within the military health system's TRICARE prime-enrolled population. American journal of health promotion : AJHP. 2007;22(2):120–39.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Krukowski RA, Hare ME, Talcott GW, Johnson KC, Richey PA, Kocak M, et al. Dissemination of the Look AHEAD intensive lifestyle intervention in the United States Air Force: study rationale, design and methods. Contemporary clinical trials. 2015;40:232–9. doi:10.1016/j.cct.2014.12.014.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Yamane GK. Obesity in civilian adults: potential impact on eligibility for U.S. military enlistment. Mil Med. 2007;172(11):1160–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. • Arsenault JE, Singleton MC, Funderburk LK. Use of the go-for-green nutrition labeling system in military dining facilities is associated with lower fat intake. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2014;114(7):1067–71. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2013.12.013. This is one of few studies examining the usage of a “point-of-purchase” nutrition labeling system called Go-for-Green in Army dining facilities (DFAC). The characteristics of users and nonusers were compared. This study and references 22 and 39 are examples of the ongoing, substantive efforts toward modifying foodservice practices in military DFACs to positively influence dietary patterns of service members.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Purvis DL, Lentino CV, Jackson TK, Murphy KJ, Deuster PA. Nutrition as a component of the performance triad: how healthy eating behaviors contribute to soldier performance and military readiness. US Army Medical Department journal. 2013:66–78.

  24. Spieker EA, Sbrocco T, Theim KR, Maurer D, Johnson D, Bryant E, et al. Preventing obesity in the military community (POMC): the development of a clinical trials research network. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2015;12(2):1174–95. doi:10.3390/ijerph120201174.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. National Prevention Strategy: America’s Plan for Better Health and Wellness. 2014. http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PreventionStrategy/. Accessed October 15 2016.

  26. Sanderson PW, Clemes SA, Biddle SJ. The correlates and treatment of obesity in military populations: a systematic review. Obesity facts. 2011;4(3):229–37. doi:10.1159/000329450.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Jarpe-Ratner E, Folkens S, Sharma S, Daro D, Edens NK. An experiential cooking and nutrition education program increases cooking self-efficacy and vegetable consumption in children in grades 3-8. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2016;48(10):697–705.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2016.07.021.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Hersch D, Perdue L, Ambroz T, Boucher JL. The impact of cooking classes on food-related preferences, attitudes, and behaviors of school-aged children: a systematic review of the evidence, 2003-2014. Prev Chronic Dis. 2014;11:E193. doi:10.5888/pcd11.140267.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Cunningham-Sabo L, Lohse B. Cooking with kids positively affects fourth graders’ vegetable preferences and attitudes and self-efficacy for food and cooking. Childhood obesity (Print). 2013;9(6):549–56. doi:10.1089/chi.2013.0076.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. McConnell K, Stoerkel E. Teaching kitchen program for sustainable behavior change in the military: a pilot study. American Public Health Association National Convention: Samueli Institute.org; 2016.

  31. Samueli Institute. Cooking for Health in the Military. samueliinstituteblog.org/learn-to-cook2015.

  32. Stewart T, May S, Allen HR, Bathalon CG, Lavergne G, Sigrist L, et al. Development of an internet/population-based weight management program for the U.S. Army. Journal of diabetes science and technology. 2008;2(1):116–26.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. Newton Jr RL, Han H, Stewart TM, Ryan DH, Williamson DA. Efficacy of a pilot internet-based weight management program (H.E.A.L.T.H.) and longitudinal physical fitness data in Army reserve soldiers. Journal of diabetes science and technology. 2011;5(5):1255–62.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Office of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Military Community and Family Policy, Strategy and Innovation, Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense, Health Affairs. Healthy base initiative: lessons learned. The Association of the United States Army (AUSA). 2015. am2015.ausa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/FForumII_3_.pdf.

  35. March M. DoDLive bloggers roundtable: healthy base initiative. http://airforcelive.dodlive.mil/2013/03/dodlive-bloggers-roundtable-healthy-base-initiative/: U.S. Air Force; 2013.

  36. • Crombie AP, Funderburk LK, Smith TJ, McGraw SM, Walker LA, Champagne CM, et al. Effects of modified foodservice practices in military dining facilities on ad libitum nutritional intake of US army soldiers. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2013;113(7):920–7. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2013.01.005. This study examined how changes in foodservice operations at five military DFAC affected the dietary intake and customer satisfaction of service members compared to five control DFAC. It examined changes for up to 12 months after implementation—a longer period of time compared to other studies at military DFAC.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Uglem S, Raberg Kjollesdal MK, Frolich W, Wandel M. Effect of a nutrition intervention on intake of vegetables, fruits, and semi whole grain bread among low and high consumers in the Norwegian National Guard. Mil Med. 2014;179(9):1013–20. doi:10.7205/milmed-d-14-00046.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Human Performance Resource Center. The G4G guide: foods and beverages. Force Health Protection and Readiness Program. 2015. http://hprc-online.org/nutrition/go-for-green/copy_of_about-go-for-green - at_pco=smlre-1.0&at_si=56da045b3926353b&at_ab=per-2&at_pos=0&at_tot=4.

  39. • Belanger BA, Kwon J. Effectiveness of healthy menu changes in a nontrainee military dining facility. Mil Med. 2016;181(1):82–9. doi:10.7205/milmed-d-15-00027. This recent study is the first to evaluate the impact of implementing the menu standards used for basic military trainees in nontrainee Army DFAC. Implementing quality menu standards in nontrainee DFAC may potentially improve the overall food selection and consumption of soldiers.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Sproul AD, Canter DD, Schmidt JB. Does point-of-purchase nutrition labeling influence meal selections? A test in an Army cafeteria. Mil Med. 2003;168(7):556–60.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. USAPHC. Prepared CACHE Toolkit Briefing: Information Briefing. http://www.armymedicine.mil/Documents/Panel-C-CACHE-Info-Brief-v2.pdf

  42. Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center. Military Nutrition Environment Assessment Tool (m-Neat). U.S. Navy. http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcphc/health-promotion/healthy-eating/Pages/m-neat.aspx.

  43. Navy Personnel Command Public Affairs. Navy Adds Military Nutrition Environment Assessment Tool 2013.

  44. Gervasoni, J. Active communities promote healthy people. U.S. Army. 2013. https://www.army.mil/article/100672.

  45. Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center Public Affairs. Public Health Center Announces 16th Annual "Crews Into Shape" Challenge. United States Navy. 2016. http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=93039.

  46. Air Force Surgeon General Public Affairs. Crews Into Shape: Nutrition Awareness Month Challenge. 2016. http://www.airforcemedicine.af.mil/News/Article/673777/crews-into-shape-nutrition-awareness-month-challenge/.

  47. Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center. Crews Into Shape 2016 Challenge Press Release. 2016. http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcphc/Documents/health-promotion-wellness/general-tools-and-programs/2016-crews-press-release.pdf.

  48. Johnson W. Patterson Dining Facility transforms under FTI. Air Force Services Activity. 2015. http://www.myairforcelife.com/Dining/fti.aspx.

  49. Semper Fit. Are you fueled to fight? United States Marine Corps, 2012. http://www.quantico.marines.mil/Portals/147/Fueled to Fight- Single Page (Apr 2012).pdf.

  50. McDowell MA, Hubbard VS. Adherence to national diet and physical activity objectives among active duty military personnel: what are the implications? J Acad Nutr Diet. 2013;113(7):903–6. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2013.03.003.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  51. Friedl KE, Bathalon GP. Body composition standards to prevent obesity in the military. Mil Med. 2006;171(6):vi.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Heinrich KM, Jitnarin N, Suminski RR, Berkel L, Hunter CM, Alvarez L, et al. Obesity classification in military personnel: a comparison of body fat, waist circumference, and body mass index measurements. Mil Med. 2008;173(1):67–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Gurevich KG, Poston WS, Anders B, Ivkina MA, Archangelskaya A, Jitnarin N, et al. Obesity prevalence and accuracy of BMI-defined obesity in Russian firefighters. Occupational medicine (Oxford, England). 2016; doi:10.1093/occmed/kqw136.

    Google Scholar 

  54. Choi B, Steiss D, Garcia-Rivas J, Kojaku S, Schnall P, Dobson M, et al. Comparison of body mass index with waist circumference and skinfold-based percent body fat in firefighters: adiposity classification and associations with cardiovascular disease risk factors. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2016;89(3):435–48. doi:10.1007/s00420-015-1082-6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Jitnarin N, Poston WS, Haddock CK, Jahnke SA, Day RS. Accuracy of body mass index-defined obesity status in US firefighters. Safety and health at work. 2014;5(3):161–4. doi:10.1016/j.shaw.2014.06.003.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  56. Cerhan JR, Moore SC, Jacobs EJ, Kitahara CM, Rosenberg PS, Adami HO, et al. A pooled analysis of waist circumference and mortality in 650,000 adults. Mayo Clin Proc. 2014;89(3):335–45. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2013.11.011.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  57. Jitnarin N, Poston WS, Haddock CK, Jahnke S, Tuley BC. Accuracy of body mass index-defined overweight in fire fighters. Occupational medicine (Oxford, England). 2013;63(3):227–30. doi:10.1093/occmed/kqs213.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Friedl KE. Body composition and military performance—many things to many people. Journal of strength and conditioning research / National Strength & Conditioning Association. 2012;26(Suppl 2):S87–100. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e31825ced6c.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Tilghman A. The U.S. military has a huge problem with obesity and it's only getting worse. Military Times 2016.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, 150 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA, 02111, USA

    Marissa Shams-White

  2. Consortium for Health and Military Performance, A DoD Center of Excellence, Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, Uniformed Services University, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA

    Patricia Deuster

Authors
  1. Marissa Shams-White
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Patricia Deuster
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marissa Shams-White.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

Marissa Shams-White and Patricia Deuster declare they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Obesity Prevention

The information presented herein represents the opinions of the authors and not those of the Department of Defense or the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Shams-White, M., Deuster, P. Obesity Prevention in the Military. Curr Obes Rep 6, 155–162 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-017-0258-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-017-0258-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation