“Obese” Mounties working to tighten belts

OTTAWA – Mounties are waging a battle of the bulge.

RCMP figures show almost a quarter of RCMP officers – 23.8 per cent – are considered "obese," based on standard height and weight measurements.

So the national police force is working to make plump police officers fit, trim and ready for duty with programs that encourage healthy exercise and nutrition habits.

Physical demands can be high on men and women in red serge, yet obesity in the ranks is now at about the national average.

For front-line officers, obesity can compromise their ability to take down a criminal and put their own safety at risk.

RCMP spokesmen say members have to pass a physical fitness test every three years, and there are plans to make the test even tougher.