Are school lunches pose national security threat?
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A group of retired officers called school lunches a national security threat because many high school graduates can't join the army due to their weight problems, the Associated Press reported.
The news outlet cited the group as saying that school lunches "have helped make the nation's young people so fat that fewer of them can meet the military physical fitness standards and recruitment is in jeopardy.
More than 9 million young adults or 27% of all Americans aged 17 to 24 are too overweight to be enlisted, according to a new report released Tuesday.
The report says overweight /obesity causes another problem: the government needs to spend tens of millions of dollars every year to help services members discharged because of overweight/obesity.
The military has noticed for long that weight problems and nutrition problems disqualify many recruits. Military leaders were said to have pushed Congress to establish the national school lunch program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in hopes that children would grow up healthier.
The military group is now urging Congress to eliminate junk food from schools and invest more money into the school luncheon program so schools can offer healthier foods.
A so called school lunch bill is reportedly waiting for a Senate vote, which would promote healthier options for all foods in schools.
JD
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