Defence figures show 10 per cent of soldiers unfit for active duty

The USA sets the standard.

MORE than 5600 Australian military personnel are unfit for active duty with obesity and weight-related illnesses the main culprits.

That is almost 10 per cent of the 57,800 full-time staff who wear the uniform of the navy, army or air force, reported The Daily Telegraph.

In addition to permanent military fatties, more than 12,200 reservists are rated as overweight and more than 4000 are classified as obese...

Head of Defence Health Major-General Paul Alexander said the Australian Defence Force approach to nutrition was completely different to the American approach.

"We do not have Burger King on bases. We have healthy eating on bases," he said.

Despite this, Australian troops are almost as fat as their US counterparts...

But not quite.