Vern Buchanan introduces bill seeking to reduce diabetes, obesity in military

Published June 5, 2025 1:00pm ET



EXCLUSIVE — Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) is introducing a bill to reduce the risk of early-onset diabetes and obesity in the U.S. military amid increasing scrutiny on the subject.

The military has lessened its stringent health requirements to cope with lagging recruitment numbers, contributing to an obesity crisis in the armed forces. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth voiced outrage about the matter in April, vowing to increase military standards in response. Buchanan, vice chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and chairman of the Health subcommittee, is hoping to help with a bill that would establish a continuous glucose monitoring pilot in the Department of Defense, providing CGMs for those who have pre-diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, or are overweight or obese.

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