A pretty bold statement made by the folks at Mission: Readiness, a non-profit organization led by retired military leaders:

General Johnnie E. Wilson, US Army (Ret.), and Lieutenant General Norman Seip, US Air Force (Ret.), said that preventing child obesity is a matter of national security, noting that being overweight has become the Number 1 reason why potential recruits are unable to enlist in the armed services. The generals’ comments came in support of First Lady Michelle Obama who announced a new national campaign to combat child obesity.

According to the US Army and the mission statement of Mission: Readiness, “Today, 75 percent of 17 to 24-year-olds do not meet the basic minimum standards required for military service”.