Opinion: How the military may be fueling eating disorders in men

OpinionFirst Opinion How the military may be fueling eating disorders in men The Trump administration’s focus on men’s bodies exacerbates an existing problem Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article By Paula ChesleyJune 3, 2026 Chesley teaches yoga and meditation at The Emily Program in St. Paul, Minn. As a yoga instructor in a clinic for people with eating disorders, I don’t see many straight cisgender male clients. But when I do, many have one thing in common: military service. It is so common that, anecdotally, I would say a military background is one of the greatest risk factors for eating disorders in this population. Indeed, troops and veterans experience eating disorders and disordered eating at higher rates than civilians. For example, veterans have bulimia at rates about three times higher than civilians. Many of the male service members and veterans I work with feel their bodies will never be lean enough, strong enough, or “combat-ready” enough.Advertisement That is why I was troubled by remarks made by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a Sept. 30, 2025, address to all branches of the military. In the speech, he criticized what he described as “fat troops” and “fat generals and admirals.” At the time, I worried such rhetoric could worsen the pressures that already contribute to eating disorders and disordered eating among troops and veterans. My worry has only increased since then, particularly ahead of the upcoming UFC fight at the White House. In 2022, the Defense Department relaxed standards for weight and fitness. This move was applauded by many in eating-disorder care, especially as increasingly demanding physical tasks can be supported by technology.Advertisement In January, however, the Trump administration reversed course. It replaced traditional height and weight tables with a strict waist-to-height body composition ratio regardless of job role. Such rigid, numerical criteria are unfortunately perfect breeding grounds for eating disorders. Now CNN is reporting that troops who get free tickets to the UFC fight on the White House lawn must meet the new waist-to-height ratio requirement. I highlight men for two reasons. First, eating disorders and disordered eating are rising among men, yet they remain underdiagnosed because of persistent stereotypes about who develops these conditions. Second, much of the rhetoric, imagery, and policy messaging from the Trump administration centers on extreme masculine ideals. Hegseth frequently posts images and videos of himself working out on social media. One image shows him apparently bench pressing 315 pounds while a group of mostly young men cheers. Lifting that much weight would place someone in the top quarter of competitive powerlifters worldwide. Similarly, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently posted a video with Kid Rock in which they lift weights, exercise in a sauna, and do cold plunges. Kennedy has also posted a video of himself doing leg presses reportedly totaling 720 pounds. And in August 2025, Hegseth and Kennedy formed the “Pete and Bobby Challenge”: 100 push-ups and 50 pull-ups in under 10 minutes. (“Marines have done it in under 3 minutes — do you have what it takes?” the website reads.) For the record, even moderate physical activity at sauna temperatures (175 degrees) is unsafe. Lifting extremely heavy weights with limited range of motion, as observers have noted in Kennedy’s video, increases the risk of injury and emphasizes numbers rather than strength. And the Pete and Bobby Challenge violates a core value of eating disorder treatment: “no numbers.” Numbers create an immediate comparison and sense of failure if they are not achieved. Numbers are black and white, but life is most often gray.Advertisement The military isn’t the only government entity working with the UFC — the FBI recently hosted a training partnership with UFC fighters. I worry that this approach overemphasizes agents’ — and men’s — physicality. In recent FBI special agent job postings, for instance, only one of six “major duties” references physical fitness. The U.S. already has the strongest military in the world. What is the problem the administration is trying to solve — optics? These demonstrations can create unrealistic expectations, particularly for young men who see these officials as role models. They also could lead to increased injuries, which, especially later in life, are associated with reduced mobility and higher rates of depression. Because the images and videos appear on official social media accounts, they send a message that extreme feats of strength are not just personal achievements but aspirational norms. The Trump administration has often been criticized for misogyny. Setting unrealistic expectations for men’s bodies can be harmful as well. Eating disorders often attach themselves to praise, appearance, and numbers: “If I can lift as much as Hegseth, people will cheer for me too.” “If I have a six-pack like Kennedy at 72, that means I’m healthy.” “How much weight did they lift?” Working with male military clients, I have seen the consequences of those messages. Decades after their service ends, some veterans still push their bodies compulsively despite serious injuries. Others whose bodies are fully capable, except for an eating disorder, believe they still need to lose weight. I tell them the same thing I tell every client: Your worth is not defined by your accomplishments or your appearance. You are worthy of care simply because you were born. You get to choose how much movement, and what kinds, you want for yourself. You do not owe your movement to anyone. These ideas run against many cultural messages. They can be especially difficult for people with military backgrounds, where pushing physical limits is often part of the culture. My goal is to help clients explore forms of movement that bring calm, relief, or joy. Research increasingly shows that the quantity and type of movement people need varies widely.Advertisement At my work, we talk about the value of movement in moderation. For example, tai chi practitioners are encouraged to stay at 70% effort, a practice that reduces injuries, facilitates mindfulness, and helps maintain nourishing, not disordered, relationships to movement. In that same Sept. 30 speech, Hegseth said the military would return to “real hard PT,” specifying, “and we’re not talking like hot yoga.” That is unfortunate. Spending time in challenging postures under high heat (105 degrees) and humidity can build strength, balance, and endurance. Those qualities could benefit many troops, particularly those deployed in hot climates. Some of yoga’s most familiar poses are the warrior asanas, derived from Hindu mythology. In Warrior III, the figure Virabhadra extends his arms while balancing on one leg, symbolically preparing for battle. But the battles represented in yoga are internal. They are the same kinds of struggles people face in everyday life. If yoga is dismissed as irrelevant or weak, perhaps it is because the practice in the United States is often associated with women or because it originates outside Western traditions. We can promote positive visions of masculinity and strength without body-shaming, unrealistic expectations, or rigid gender roles. In Chinese medicine, the concept of yang energy, often associated with strength, speed, and expansive movement, offers one model of masculine energy without cultural baggage. Sometimes I ask clients to imagine pushing against a tree to connect with their inner strength. “If you are holding your breath or clenching your body while doing this,” I tell them, “that is a sign to ease off.” Strength, after all, is not measured by the number on a barbell. It is the ability to do hard things physically, mentally, or emotionally, regardless of body type or gender. Paula Chesley, Ph.D., teaches yoga and meditation at The Emily Program in St. Paul, Minn. The views expressed in this essay are solely those of the author.Advertisement STAT’s coverage of health challenges facing men and boys is supported by Rise Together, a donor advised fund sponsored and administered by National Philanthropic Trust and established by Richard Reeves, founding president of the American Institute for Boys and Men; and by the Boston Foundation. Our financial supporters are not involved in any decisions about our journalism. Donald Trump, Men’s and Boys’ Health, Mental Health, RFK Jr. Submit a correction requestReprints Paula Chesley Newsletter The smartest thinkers in life sciences on what's happening — and what's to come Recommended First Opinion June 3, 2026 The medical-billing AI arms race between providers and insurance First Opinion Podcast June 3, 2026 The Amish way of health care Advertisement First Opinion June 2, 2026 The virtual end of the doctor’s office waiting room First Opinion Podcast June 1, 2026 What should hospitals do when patients demand unvaccinated donor blood? First Opinion June 1, 2026 The military’s medical corps has a serious recruitment problem Subscriber Picks