Australian youth ‘too fat, too drugged’

SYDNEY – Young Australians are becoming too drugged and too fat to serve in the military, the defence force said in a recruiting plan published yesterday.

Unhealthy lifestyles combined with an ageing population and competition from private sector jobs were making it difficult for the military to attract enough physically and mentally fit recruits, The Australian reported. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) internal recruiting plan for 2005-10 warned that use of recreational drugs and junk-food-related obesity were expected to worsen over the next decade.This could see the number of military personnel shrink from about 52 000 to 48 500 by 2010 – well below the 55 000-strong force targeted by the government.-Nampa-AFPThe Australian Defence Force (ADF) internal recruiting plan for 2005-10 warned that use of recreational drugs and junk-food-related obesity were expected to worsen over the next decade.This could see the number of military personnel shrink from about 52 000 to 48 500 by 2010 – well below the 55 000-strong force targeted by the government.-Nampa-AFP