The Chicago Tribune reports that “Americans’ love of cheesy fries and aversion to exercise are both well documented. But while everyone has heard about the effect of high-calorie living on health care costs and kids’ waistlines, scholars and former military leaders say the obesity epidemic also poses real — but too often overlooked — problems for national security.”

The story continues: “Almost a quarter of applicants to the military are turned away because they’re too heavy, statistics show, and about three-quarters of young Americans aren’t eligible to serve because of their weight or some other factor.”