Military policies and rhetoric may fuel eating disorders in men, yoga instructor says
13 reported
A yoga instructor at a clinic for eating disorders reports that many of the straight cisgender male clients she sees share a military background, and she believes military service is one of the greatest risk factors for eating disorders in this population. The instructor, Paula Chesley, notes that troops and veterans experience eating disorders and disordered eating at higher rates than civilians, with veterans having bulimia at rates about three times higher than civilians. She was troubled by remarks made by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sept. 30, 2025, in which he criticized what he described as “fat troops” and “fat generals and admirals.” In January, the Trump administration replaced traditional height and weight tables with a strict waist-to-height body composition ratio regardless of job role, which Chesley says creates a breeding ground for eating disorders. She also highlights that much of the rhetoric, imagery, and policy messaging from the administration centers on extreme masculine ideals, citing examples such as Hegseth’s social media posts of himself working out and the “Pete and Bobby Challenge” with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Chesley argues that these demonstrations can create unrealistic expectations for young men and may lead to increased injuries and higher rates of depression.
What’s reported
The instructor, Paula Chesley, works at The Emily Program in St. Paul, Minn., teaching yoga and meditation.
She states that anecdotally, a military background is one of the greatest risk factors for eating disorders in straight cisgender male clients.
Veterans have bulimia at rates about three times higher than civilians, according to the article.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a Sept. 30, 2025, address to all branches of the military, criticized “fat troops” and “fat generals and admirals.”
In 2022, the Defense Department relaxed standards for weight and fitness, which was applauded by many in eating-disorder care.
In January, the Trump administration replaced traditional height and weight tables with a strict waist-to-height body composition ratio regardless of job role.
CNN reports that troops who get free tickets to the UFC fight on the White House lawn must meet the new waist-to-height ratio requirement.
Hegseth frequently posts images and videos of himself working out on social media; one image shows him apparently bench pressing 315 pounds.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted a video with Kid Rock lifting weights, exercising in a sauna, and doing cold plunges, and a video of himself doing leg presses reportedly totaling 720 pounds.
In August 2025, Hegseth and Kennedy formed the “Pete and Bobby Challenge”: 100 push-ups and 50 pull-ups in under 10 minutes.
The FBI recently hosted a training partnership with UFC fighters.
In recent FBI special agent job postings, only one of six “major duties” references physical fitness.
The views expressed in the essay are solely those of the author, Paula Chesley, Ph.D.
Key figures
Paula Chesley, Ph.D., yoga and meditation instructor at The Emily Program in St. Paul, Minn.
Pete Hegseth, Defense Secretary
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Health and Human Services Secretary
Kid Rock, musician
Sources: statnews.com
