Overweight/obesity is a leading cause of medical disqualifications of applicants screened at recruiting stations, disqualifying some 15.9-21.6% of applicants between 2007 and 2012 [13]. Body weight has significant repercussions in the Army. In addition to being a barrier to entry, those nevertheless permitted to enter who exceed body fat standards are placed into the Army Weight Control Program, which consists of intensive exercise programs, nutritional counseling, and related interventions to monitor aggressive weight-loss goals consistent with weight and body fat retention standards described in AR 600-9, which are similar to accession standards (AR 40-501) [16, 19]. If a soldier does not make satisfactory progress within six months, he/she
