Out-of-shape soldiers a 'national threat'

[MikeL]

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/canada/archives/2013/07/20130729-081430.html

Out-of-shape soldiers a 'national threat': Obesity expert
8:14 am, July 29th, 2013

CHRISTINE BOUTHILLIER | QMI AGENCY

MONTREAL - Obesity in the Canadian Forces is becoming a "national threat," an obesity expert warns.

Dr. Arya M. Sharma of the University of Alberta told QMI Agency that he has received warnings first-hand from military officials about out-of-shape soldiers.

A 2008 survey found that nearly one-quarter of Canadian soldiers had body mass indexes greater 30, the World Health Organization's obesity threshold.

"Their work makes it difficult to control their weight," said Dr. Sharma, chair in Obesity Research and Management at the Edmonton-based university.

"If they don't have enough time to eat, their lunch will be bigger. Stress or boredom can lead them to eat."

The Canadian Forces has invested in personal trainers while implementing weight-control guidelines to combat the problem.

"It's a concern within the chain of command," admits Daryl Allard, Canadian Forces director of fitness.

He said an obese soldier finds it much more difficult to pass physical tests.

The annual tests require soldiers to lift sandbags and run an obstacle course while carrying a load.

Any member who fails the test is given three additional attempts over a six-month period.

If the soldier fails again, they must submit to another test that assesses their ability to perform common tasks such as digging trenches, piling sandbags and carrying a stretcher.

It's very rare for a soldier to fail the simpler test but if they do, they might be discharged from the forces.

Soldiers train for an hour a day, five days a week during working hours.

To facilitate recruitment, the forces eliminated an enrolment test.

The test is now given only when a recruit is accepted into the Army and begins their training.

This change allows the forces "to recruit highly qualified specialists ... who might otherwise not be able to enrol because of their lack of fitness," Army spokeswoman Michele Tremblay said.

OBESITY IN THE WORKFORCE

Obese people are less likely to be hired or promoted
They often have a lack motivation
Stigma can cause overeating and inactivity
Thin, sedentary people with poor eating habits can have poorer health than overweight people
-- Source: Equilibre

 

[JorgSlice]

What they fail to mention is that BMI doesn't account for muscle mass, therefore this study is f-cking useless. Using BMI, weightlifters who are healthy and agile are considered obese.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

A 2008 survey found that nearly one-quarter of Canadian soldiers had body mass indexes greater 30, the World Health Organization's obesity threshold.

I'll bet a percentage of that 1\4 percent are lean, very muscular soldiers with little fat on them.

So called experts that rely on BMI to classify people should not be considered experts, nor their opinions listened to.

The BMI is a farcical chart with no honest correlation to weight\ fitness.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

I'll bet a percentage of that 1\4 percent are lean, very muscular soldiers with little fat on them.

So called experts that rely on BMI to classify people should not be considered experts, nor their opinions listened to.

The BMI is a farcical chart with no honest correlation to weight\ fitness.

BMI is not totally useless but it does not take into account people with muscular/powerful builds.  I played rugby with a guy who was 6'0 and weighed 250lbs.  He could also run a lvl 11 on the beep test and could practically dead-lift a car.  He was considered obese by BMI standards but was actually a specimen.  He is also an fighter pilot now

 

[MikeL]

If the BMI was the sole source(as the article states) of saying 1/4 of the CF is obese, then the actual number is probably lower as a number of fit members are considered overweight on the BMI.  However, there are a number of overweight/obese/unfit pers currently serving in the CF, I highly doubt 1/4 of the CF falls into that, but many do.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/1000708_357340391059059_105137448_n.jpg

 

[421_434_226]

Did we not already go through this BMI BS in the late 80s to early 90s, I seem to recall being listed as "obese" cause I'm a short ass, yes I am only 5'4" and I weighed around 175 lbs I also had a 32" waist and a 46" chest. I was really ticked off at the time 'cause I could do my pt of an 8km rucksack march 2 - 3 times a week and compete with a friend of mine to see who could do 50 pushups at the end of it first (support for 1 RCR), I was obese but the next guy in line was not obese 'cause he was 6' and 200 lbs with a beer belly and could barely do 5 pushups and hardly make it to the doughnut shop without puffing, right I was obese. Sorry rant off (gawd I hate the BMI people)

 

[Edward Campbell]

Just to chime in; I used to have to write a letter, annually, re: one of my people - a Navy PO1 who was a diver. He was reported, annually, as being above the BMI threshold (this was in the 1990s). Annually I got a report from the medical people saying he was obese; annually I wrote the letter demanding a re-evaluation; annually they tested him for body fat; and, also annually, they amended his records to state that he was fully fit for service.

The BMI is a handy tool for screening but it must be interpreted, and using it for this sort of "survey" is useless. But, as Dr. Sharma says, there are some obese soldiers and they do need help to get fit ... or get out.

I note, also, that the CADPAT combat uniform, worn as garrison dress, hides a multitude of sins, including soldiers who are a bit too short for their weight.

 

[421_434_226]

As stated here by others we could be doing much better in the physical department.

 

[-rb]

As stated here by others we could be doing much better in the physical department.

Exactly, now if only the CoC would start punishing those who fail to meet the weak 'standards' we have set in place ...lets start showing those who continue to fail the door... IMHO.

Cheers.

 

[PMedMoe]

Exactly, now if only the CoC would start punishing those who fail to meet the weak 'standards' we have set in place ...lets start showing those who continue to fail the door... IMHO.

Cheers.

Oh, let's not limit that to just physical standards.  Boot people who fail trades training and also those with discipline issues....

 

[PuckChaser]

Boot people who fail trades training and also those with discipline issues....

Wouldn't we have to start failing people from the trades training first? I don't know about other trades, but I've seen a lot of people given 15 chances to pass PCs without a PRB, just so they don't need to do the paperwork to fail them.

 

[Armymedic]

North Americans, at large , are significantly heavier than the world average.

BMI when applied properly is a very accurate tool in determining current health status and inferring future health status.

If you remember  that a BMI of 30=obese is a WHO standard, you will quickly realize that in the majority of the world, that figure is strikingly accurate.

 

[The_Falcon]

I note, also, that the CADPAT combat uniform, worn as garrison dress, hides a multitude of sins, including soldiers who are a bit too short for their weight.

And the CADPAT OTW shirts leave nothing to the imagination, and it is quite frankly embarrassing to see all these individuals running around here on KAIA wearing those things, and proudly displaying well developed beer guts, and moobs.  It seems its more for the LCF than anything else, since none of the other nations here wear their OTW shirts 24/7.

 

[Rifleman62]

Is this not how we got rid of the PERI staff?

I was at 17 Wing in May and saw more than a few servicepeople who looked well overweight. As a percentage of the total population of 17 Wing: miniscule.

I personally had trouble keeping my weight down my whole life. If I don't exercise regularly, my weight goes up. Currently walk 9 to 10 KM @ 1 1/2 hour, 5/6 times a week.

 

[jollyjacktar]

Is this not how we got rid of the PERI staff?

I was at 17 Wing in May and saw more than a few servicepeople who looked well overweight. As a percentage of the total population of 17 Wing: miniscule.

I personally had trouble keeping my weight down my whole life. If I don't exercise regularly, my weight goes up. Currently walk 9 to 10 KM @ 1 1/2 hour, 5/6 times a week.

I don't remember you being fat back when...

 

[medicineman]

Where I work, BMI is used as a threshold of where someone gets surgery done - anyone with a BMI over 35 can't be operated on in certain hospitals in my RHA due to the risks inherant of being over weight and getting a general anaesthetic...and most people I see with BMI's over 30 are in fact FB's with no necks and ample guts, which are serious anaesthetic risks.  If I'm doing a medical on someone for the military and see a BMI pushing or over 30, I take a good look at what that 30 is - as I too have seen people that didn't read the fine print and failed take body composition into account.  Having said that, there are alot of people that, while having a muscluar build, do have a layer of Molson muscle over that build as well.

What the study also sort of touched on was that the chain of command has to be involved more by making PT a priority as opposed to the embuggerance a lot of folks make it out to be.  I've been (and still am) utterly amazed at how many low level supervisors take it upon themselves to decide the routine work that never goes away to be  "operational necessity" and who make PT a reward vice part of the work day, despite CO and CDS ORDER's requiring their subordinates to train at least 3 times a week on compnay time...and the leaders that let these people get away with disobeying those same orders.  I know PT is a personal responsibility, but it's also a work one - as a leader, you have to know what the lowest common denominator in your unit is and raise that to something operational.  Also, group PT gets you out there and learning about your folks, allows you to give them leadership challenges, burn off steam, etc, ad nauseum.  While I know I'm generally preaching to the choir here, there are still folks out there that feel the CF is a 9-5 job and PT is but a burden to their work/career advancement agendae.

Rant over.

MM

 

[RectorCR]

I've been working as a bouncer here in Halifax for a little while now and most of the guys who show their Navy ID's tend to be quite "plump". 
I've never worked in the navy so I'm not sure of the physical fitness required to do their job but it would seem like it isn't that high...at least in the ruck 30 km's with 50lbs on your back sort of way. Maybe they're more akin to the powerlifter sort of fit...or maybe they're just fat???

 

[ballz]

Well, if the new FORCE PT standard that we spent too much money and time coming up with is any indication, the CAF is not interested in raising the standard level of fitness within the organization...

And quite frankly, I'm so disenchanted by that new test that I can't even get worked up over what we should be doing versus what we are doing when it comes to fitness.

EDIT to add:

Soldiers train for an hour a day, five days a week during working hours.

Clearly, there are some inaccuracies in this article...

 

[Rifleman62]

jollyjacktar:

I don't remember you being fat back when...

Not fat, but not skinny! In those days I was running at least an hour a day at the YMCA track across the street from work.

 

[Cyrius007]

It's clear BMI is not a perfect mesure, but it can give a warning.

A friend of mine just retired from a supply position and he told me they were re-issuing clothes to CF members much more often with bigger sizes than smaller ones...