Study suggests legislation to tamp down on obesity, improve military recruiting A nurse uses a body analyzer scale to estimate a sailor’s body composition. (Jacob Sippel/Navy) The Defense Department spends over $1 billion a year on treatment of obesity-ralted issues, including lost productivity, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service. Being out of shape also puts troops at a higher risk for injury, costing more money to treat and more time lost, and increases the likelihood they’ll wash out before finishing an enlistment, according to research. It “could be a topic for legislative consideration,” according to the report, released Dec. 22.