Documents released under Freedom of Information show around one in six in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) have a Body Mass Index (BMI) in the obese range.
A Senate Estimates Brief titled "Obesity in Defence" states that around 15 per cent of ADF personnel have a BMI of 30 or higher.
BMI is an assessment measure based on height and weight, or kilograms per metre squared.
By comparison, the 2011-2013 ABS National Health Survey shows around 28 per cent of adult Australian males are classified as obese.
The ADF says, since 2005, entry standards have allowed applicants with a BMI between 30 and 32.9 to join the Defence Force provided they are well and can pass fitness tests.
It says an 18-week Weight Watchers program was trialled in 2011 and an extended program was conducted the following year.
The Defence Science and Technology Organisation is conducting an extended evaluation of the programs.
In 2012, 116 ADF members were referred to the Australian Defence Force Rehabilitation Program with their primary condition identified as obesity, the report adds.
It notes, however, that fewer ADF personnel were referred to the program in 2012 than in the previous two years.
