Army Weight Control Program: a comprehensive mandated approach to weight control

A mandatory weight control program for U.S. Army personnel is described that is designed to aid, educate, and motivate overweight personnel to achieve their ideal body weight. The program employs height-weight tables as a preliminary screening technique, followed by skinfold thickness measurements to identify overweight personnel. Individuals who do not have a pathological cause for their obesity and who exceed age- and sex-adjusted body fat standards (20-26% for men; 28-34% for women) are assigned to the program and have favorable personnel action withheld. Separation from the Army may be considered in cases of noncompliance with established monthly weight loss goals for a 6-month period. The history, philosophy, rationale, and methodologies of the program are described. (WZ)