Mission readiness in the military is not just important; it's urgent. It relies on various factors, including physical and mental well-being, and any delay in addressing these issues can have serious consequences.
Over the decades, a hyper-fixated focus on physical readiness and appearance has damaged service members’ health. An environment that promotes diet culture and fatphobia has led to an increase in eating disorders and disordered eating among service members—and the numbers we have aren’t accurate, as these issues are underreported.
When service members are not consuming enough calories or resorting to extreme measures to maintain a specific body weight or size, they are not, in fact, mission-ready.
Continue reading to learn more about how eating disorders and disordered eating can impact mission readiness.
Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating Impact Mission Readiness
As I have highlighted in my previous post, eating disorders and disordered eating are both prevalent in the military. This is due to the high levels of stress, exposure to trauma, and the emphasis on appearance in uniform standards.
Worse, many disordered eating habits, such as fasting, skipping meals, and only eating certain foods, have become normalized.
Can you imagine facing these battles while also serving our country?
Further research is necessary to comprehend the impact of eating disorders on mission readiness fully. However, based on what we already know about the effects of eating disorders on the body, we know that they impact service members—and, in turn, mission readiness—in the following ways.
Low Energy Availability
Low energy availability (LEA) is “a state in which the body does not have enough energy left to support all physiological functions needed to maintain optimal health.” And can severely impact one’s health:
Endocrine and metabolic function (decreased testosterone or impaired menstrual function)
Increased risk of stress fractures or muscular skeletal injuries
Increased risk of illness
Slowed recovery rate
Gastrointestinal health
Mood (increased tension, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion)
Physical performance (decreased strength and power; decreased aerobic performance)
Cognitive performance (impaired vigilance, choice and simple reaction time, pattern recognition, short-term working memory, logical reasoning, and marksmanship)
Limited endurance and stamina
As I’ve written about Disordered Eating Behaviors in the Military: The Real Impact, low energy availability is a huge risk in all branches because personnel experience situations civilians do not, such as
Field exercises
Deployments
Prolonged sleep deprivation
When a service member is not performing at their best, it directly and negatively impacts mission readiness.
Fatigue
Fatigue alone isn't harmful, but chronic fatigue can lead to severe consequences for service members.
According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), “Fatigue was a contributing factor in the 2017 fatal ship collisions that resulted in the deaths of 17 sailors and hundreds of millions of dollars in damages to two destroyers.”
The study discussed fatigue caused by lack of sleep, but fatigue from an eating disorder is just as harmful. With malnutrition and reduced mental energy, service members can experience slower reaction times, low energy, brain fog, and lack of strength.
Physical Health
Eating disorders don't discriminate. What's more, diet culture has normalized a lot of disordered behaviors. Unfortunately, even when someone looks "healthy" from the outside, an eating disorder is wreaking havoc from the inside.
For example, anorexia puts the body in starvation mode; first, it will use a person’s fat reserves, then the muscles, and finally, attack the organs and bones. The health risks could include osteoporosis (which increases the risk of bone fractures), heart attacks, damage to kidneys, and anemia. Even if a patient fully recovers, the damage may not be reversible.
Other physical effects of eating disorders include:
Gastroparesis
Stomach or esophagus rupture
Intestinal obstruction
Dehydration
Seizures and muscle cramps
Pancreatitis
Liver inflammation
Decrease in hormone levels
Anemia
It’s also important to note that eating disorders have the second-highest mortality rate of any mental health issue.
We need our service members to feel their best to carry out their duties safely and not negatively impact mission readiness.
Mental Health
Eating disorders often co-occur with other psychiatric disorders, such as:
Depression
Anxiety
OCD
Self-harm and suicidal thoughts
Personality disorders
Alcohol and substance misuse
Evidence suggests that genes and heritability play a part in why some people are at higher risk for an eating disorder, but that’s not always the case.
These mental health issues, combined with an eating disorder, put immense pressure on individuals to maintain a work-life balance while striving for the never-attainable “perfection.”
I remember I could not make the simplest decisions when I was anorexic. My anxiety had me constantly second-guessing myself, my depression made me numb, and I lacked motivation. Every single day, I felt I was spiraling with no way out.
We clearly understand the challenges faced by those in the military. Focusing on one's recovery is undeniably difficult, but successfully executing duties and maintaining mission readiness adds another significant layer of stress. However, with early intervention and effective treatment, service members can overcome their eating disorders and regain their full mission readiness.
Lack of Focus
Looking back on the years when anorexia controlled my life, I was always preoccupied. I was constantly thinking about my next meal, what to eat, and whether it would make me feel fat. I worried about whether certain foods were safe and what people thought about me.
This constant stream of "what-ifs" and fear of the unknown made it impossible for me to commit to anything fully. It was hard for me to focus on what I was supposed to do.
Not to mention, it was exhausting. I had little time and energy to do anything else.
Now, apply this to the military, where life-and-death decisions do occur. This is incredibly dangerous for mission readiness when the service member needs to be focused on their tasks and supporting their command.
Eating Disorders and Military Readiness: It Can’t be Overlooked
In conjunction with the daily stress and pressure of life as a service member, eating disorders and disordered eating severely impede an individual’s ability to be mission-ready. This is not a minor issue, but a serious threat to our military's effectiveness.
Research on eating disorders in the military is still sorely needed. Thankfully, within the last several years, the Department of Defense (DoD) has recognized the severity of this issue and awarded University of Kansas researchers a substantial $4.2 million grant to address eating disorders amongst the active duty population. This significant investment underscores the importance of understanding and addressing eating disorders in the military.
It's challenging to get the complete picture when not all service members feel comfortable sharing such a personal experience. However, we can use research from the civilian world to better understand how eating disorders and disordered eating in the military impacts service members and how we can best support them.
If you feel you can make a difference, please consider donating or volunteering at SEA WAVES.
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