According to a new report, more than 10,000 Army soldiers became obese during the pandemic years. The U.S. Navy and Marines also saw an increase in the number of military members who gained significant weight from 2019 to 2021. Out of all military servicemen and women, one in five are obese as of 2020. Overweight troops are more likely to be injured and less likely to endure the physical demands of their jobs. In addition, obesity-related health costs exceed $1.5 billion annually for current and former service members.

The pandemic is proven to have been taxing on the human body as more and more research has come out that shows it’s been bad on mental and physical health. In new research found by the Center for Health Services Research at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland, 10,000 active duty soldiers developed obesity between February 2019 and June 2021. That pushes the rate to nearly a quarter of the troops studied. 

In 2022, the Army failed to meet its recruiting goal for the first time, falling short by 15,000 recruits, or a quarter of the requirement. 75% of Americans between 17 and 24 years-old are not eligible for military service. The biggest individual disqualifier is being overweight, but it affects only 10% of potential recruits. It’s a problem only worsened by so-called “pandemic pounds.” Nearly half of all adults reported gaining weight in the first year of the COVID-19 emergency.