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Plunging test scores are a slow-moving catastrophe

207 points · 414 comments · vinni2

Animats · 1790450510 · focus · HN ↗
Plunging physical fitness test scores are even worse.[1] "Fat people don't make good soldiers … they get themselves or others hurt or killed." The US military says 31% of US youth are too fat to serve. 77% are not qualified for one or more reasons.[2]
Only 12% of American male youth who are qualified for the military are not in college.
Think about that. About 2/3 of American male youth are not good enough for either college or the military. That's a high reject rate.
[1] <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/10/10/one-third-youths-too-obese-military-service-study-finds.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/10/10/one-third-you...
[2] <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/09/28/new-pentagon-study-shows-77-of-young-americans-are-ineligible-military-service.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/09/28/new-pentagon-...
1. armchairhacker · 1790451202 · focus · HN ↗
  Why don’t governments pay for free GLPs for everyone overweight? They overrepay for themselves by reducing medical care.
  1. kelseyfrog · 1790451993 · focus · HN ↗
    Because the political will doesn't exist. Because being fat is portrayed as a moral failing. Because the Protestant work ethic's[1] virtue of self-discipline extended to health and eating. I guess it's kinda strange to carry the mantle of the protestants without being protestant one's self, yet it happens.
    1. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249628161_The_moralizing_of_obesity_A_new_name_for_an_old_sin" rel="nofollow">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249628161_The_moral...
    what · 1790458580 · focus · HN ↗
    Being fat is a moral failing though? It’s also not portrayed that way, see the entire body positivity/healthy at every size movement.
    kelseyfrog · 1790469104 · focus · HN ↗
    What do you think that was in response to?
    what · 1790481149 · focus · HN ↗
    Half the country being fat and not wanting to take responsibility?
    ThePowerOfFuet · 1790512527 · focus · HN ↗
    Taking responsibility for the tremendous surge in highly-calorific, ultra-processed food over the last forty years or so?
    eudamoniac · 1790524338 · focus · HN ↗
    And these calories are in the water supply? No, the fat people choose to buy and eat that food. I'm on a 700C deficit right now, it's not very fun, but it works because I have the discipline to not order a pizza.

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