The military is joining the fight against fat. The pool of recruits fit enough to enlist is shrinking and troops’ waistlines are expanding, a reflection of the nation’s battle with obesity.

Almost one-third of 18-year-olds who applied for service in all branches of the military in 2005 were overweight, according to a recent report by the Army. The share of applicants who were obese doubled to 6% from 1996 to 2005.

The issue is magnified now because the Army is struggling to meet its recruitment goals at a time when its ranks are strained by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Read (USA Today)