For National Defense

Recently some high-ranking military personnel demanded public schools serve more healthful lunches to students, especially cutting down on salt and sugared soda pop. It is a matter of national defense, the military said, for many young people who have tried to enlist were turned down because of obesity or a tendency toward it. This is a situation that could easily bring about serious health problems the military would not be responsible for.

In our unfortunate economic circumstances at the present time, perhaps the only jobs available to many young people are in the military. Historically, this has happened time and again, but this has to be the first instance so many are denied the privilege on the basis of being too fat. In past generations some enlistees might have been too thin in weight because times were bad, but that did not disbar them for serving and the military soon straightened out the weight problem by building up muscle strength. But the reverse plight is much more serious.

As I see it, yes, parents and schools must effect a change, but so should manufacturers who produce the food. How about tasty whole-grain buns for those hamburgers, with a warning not to eat potatoes with the bread? Two starches a meal should be outlawed. That practice alone at school and home could quickly wipe out tons of teen-age overweight. Diabetes has already reached almost epidemic status. It’s time we took it seriously.

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