Too fat to fight

GUT-BUSTER SQUADDIES GET BULLET

- ISOBEL DICKINSON

THE armed forces are facing an obesity crisis with more than 20,000 troops being told they are too fat, the Daily Star Sunday can reveal.

Thousands of Army, Navy and RAF personnel have been classed as overweight after gorging on pies, chips, cakes and fizzy drinks.

At least 1,000 have developed diabetes and hundreds more have high blood pressure and breathing difficulties linked to their size.

Up to 15 soldiers have been given their marching orders for being too fat to fight in the past two years.

Ten of the heaviest had a combined weight of more than 173st – with one tipping the scales at almost 30st. He was one of more than 80 members of the military who have been sacked since 2002. Dozens more have been warned they could also be discharged if they keep failing fitness tests.