3.1M views · Dec 6, 2012 · 16:08 · 1 HN recommender · 6 mentions · discussed 2021–2026
Lieutenant General Mark Hertling gives a TEDx talk arguing that obesity and poor youth fitness are a national security problem because too few young Americans can meet military physical requirements.
Why Hacker News points people here: HN cites it in threads on military recruiting and obesity as an early warning from a senior general that still applies.
“In 2012 Lieutenant General Mark Hertling had a TED talk [1] about this very issue and I think it still very much applies today.”HN comment, 2026
“In my opinion the video is worth a watch even to those using a cellphone.”
Military recognized fitness problem before 2012.
Adding to this the military was recognizing this issue prior to 2012 and I can't imagine the situation has improved outside of the military . [1] In my opinion the video is worth a watch even to those using a cellphone. [1] - this video [video][16m][ted talk with Lieutenant General Mark Hertling]
“There was a TED Talk a few years back from a US Army General about how the terrible physical fitness of America's youth is becoming a national security problem.”
General on youth fitness as a national security problem.
>>>>"Most" boys play some kind of sport. I have to assume it's the vast majority. There was a TED Talk a few years back from a US Army General about how the terrible physical fitness of America's youth is becoming a national security problem.[1] I think the "low quality" of adolescent males over the past 2 decades is partly behind the push for more women in the military: we have so few physically-fit high-testosterone males that we have to cast a wider net and recruit physically-fit, comparatively-high-T females; they are better than soft fatbody guys. If boys were seriously engaged in sports at the rates that you are suggesting, teen obesity shouldn't be so widespread. [1] this video
“the US military is finding it very difficult to recruit healthy people that can even pass their simple physical requirements.”
Military struggles to recruit people passing physical requirements.
Fast food burgers are surely nowhere near as healthy as breadless home made burgers with grass-fed non-gmo meats but I would put the bigger risk on the associated High Fructose Corn Syrup drinks and oil cooked fries. Shaming people usually backfires whereas some states have had some success with taxing high fructose corn syrup drinks. Given that the long term health effects of fast food ultimately affect the national economy, national health budgets and national security, this is one rare case I believe a sin-tax makes sense provided that tax goes to health care. Diabetes alone will likely bankrupt most first world countries. [1][2] Why national security? For starters, the US military is finding it very difficult to recruit healthy people that can even pass their simple physical requirements. [3] [1] - link [2] - link [video][9 mins, t-shirt may be NSFW] [3] - this video [video][16 mins]
Recruiting shortfall due to lack of physical qualification.
The military are already having a very difficult time recruiting people. Not for a lack of interest but for a lack of physical qualification. [1] This behavior will not help them get more people. I foresaw something like this when I served and had to fight them on DNA collection. I neither won nor lost but I stalled them long enough to get out. That was my commander's idea. It went all the way to Al Gore via FoIA and came back down as several boxes of paperwork that were worded more vague than a car commercial as to what the data/dna could be used for, how long they could keep it and who would have access to it . [1] - this video [video][16 mins]
“Here [1] is General Hertling discussing some challenges around this topic from 2012.”
General Hertling discussing obesity challenges in 2012.
Disclaimer: DailyMail hypes things up and makes them click-baity but the meat of the article is still relevant I think and probably a topic that needs some real solutions. In my opinion obesity could have an existential threat to national security and health care costs of all first world countries regardless of who is paying for it. The US was the first to fully embrace high fructose corn syrup, highly processed foods, seed oils, etc... but other nations are right behind us. Here [1] is General Hertling discussing some challenges around this topic from 2012. [1] - this video [video][16 mins]
“In 2012 Lieutenant General Mark Hertling had a TED talk [1] about this very issue and I think it still very much applies today.”
2012 TED talk on this issue still applies.
For a second I thought your username was sharpshooter but then it got even better as I re-read it. Thankyou for the laugh. In 2012 Lieutenant General Mark Hertling had a TED talk [1] about this very issue and I think it still very much applies today. [1] - this video [video][16m][TED-Talk]
