Experts have revealed that even obese people can still be physically fit and capable of serving in high-demand positions like the military.
Earlier this week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth slammed seemingly overweight National Guard troops who descended upon Chicago to bolster security around ICE facilities.
‘Standards are back,’ Hegseth posted on X, confirming a screenshot of a story about the overweight troops who would be replaced by fitter ones.
The National Guard posted a statement two days later, affirming that its soldiers are required to meet service-specific height, weight and physical standards at all times.
Obesity is determined by body mass index (BMI), which estimates body fat percentage based on height and weight. A BMI over 25 indicates a person is overweight, while anything over 30 is considered obese.
About three in four Americans are either overweight or obese, and 40 percent of the US has a BMI over 30.
Muscle mass tends to weigh more than fat, making many elite athletes and soldiers technically overweight based on BMI.
However, physicians and fitness experts speaking with the Daily Mail said that even people who appear more heavyset or have a higher BMI are not automatically out of shape and they may be considered healthy by other standards.
Pete Hegseth slammed seemingly overweight National Guard troops (pictured here) who descended upon Chicago earlier this month for being out of shape
‘Standards are back,’ Hegseth (pictured here) posted on X, confirming a screenshot of a story about the troops being replaced
Dr Gbolahan Okubadejo, spine surgeon at the Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care in New York and New Jersey, told the Daily Mail: ‘A person can be both physically fit and technically overweight at the same time.
‘The number on the scale or even the BMI chart doesn’t tell the whole story. Many people who strength train or engage in regular physical activity carry more muscle mass, and muscle weighs more than fat.
‘I also see patients who have a BMI in the “overweight” category but have great cardiovascular endurance and overall metabolic health.
‘They may also have strong hearts, great blood pressure, and blood sugar, all markers of fitness.’
People carrying heavier muscle will have a higher BMI but their body fat percentage is actually low and they have strong cardiovascular health, meaning despite the number on the scale – they are healthy and fit.
Dr Zakhary said: ‘This is common in athletes, weightlifters, or soldiers who may be considered overweight when discussing BMI, but are very metabolically healthy and physically fit with good muscle mass.
‘Also, intense training and regular exercise don’t always translate to lower body weight. This may be due to muscle gain, differences in body composition, different diets or requirements for caloric intake, or genetic predisposition to carry more fat.’
Some physically fit people also have stronger or more muscular arms and legs due to strength training but carry whatever excess weight they may have in their abdomen.
Additionally, members of each branch of the military have to pass physical fitness tests, including pushups, weightlifting and running at least once per year, requiring them to stay in shape.
Dr Shad Marvasti, family medicine physician and executive director of the Integrative Health and Lifestyle Medicine Institute at HonorHealth in Arizona, also told the Daily Mail that people ‘who are physically active and maintain good cardiorespiratory fitness often have lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, and premature death compared to sedentary individuals with a similar BMI.’
‘Obesity can still be harmful for those that exercise regularly. Exercise can help reduce many of the health risks that are associated with obesity, but it doesn’t eliminate them,’ Dr Zakhary said.
‘Therefore, someone who is overweight but exercises regularly is much healthier than an overweight person with a sedentary lifestyle, but also may not be as healthy as someone with good fitness and more normal levels of body fat.’
For people who are overweight, diet is a prime driver of obesity, particularly diets heavy in fatty, fried and ultra-processed foods. And consuming more calories than a person burns in a day creates extra energy, which is stored as body fat.
One of the most harmful types of fat is visceral fat, which accumulates around and within abdominal organs like the liver, intestines and pancreas. This induces inflammation linked to diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Exercise and diet are the most tried and true methods for shrinking visceral fat, along with GLP-1 injections like Ozempic and Wegovy. However, some groups of people, even if they are athletes or in the military, may not see results as quickly.
Dr Mariam Zakhary, clinical advisor at Ikon Recovery Center in New Jersey, told the Daily Mail: ‘Despite intense or regular exercise, weight loss may still be extremely difficult, especially for those with certain medical conditions or taking certain medications.’
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .