America, the first lady says, has a pudgy problem.

A significant percentage of its youths are too fat to fit in military uniforms.

First lady Michelle Obama talked about the issue during her visit Wednesday to the Atlanta area to promote healthy eating. In a speech at Alpharetta’s North Point Community Church to highlight her ‘Let’s Move’ healthy living campaign, Obama relayed a gaudy statistic.

‘Believe it or not, right now, nearly 27 percent of 17- to 24-year-olds are too overweight to serve in our military,’ she said.

Perhaps the military needs its own ‘Biggest Loser’ contest for recruits.

AJC PolitiFact Georgia had another thought. Should we believe the first lady?

Obama’s claim apparently came from a study released last year that was titled — aptly perhaps — ‘Too Fat to Fight.’ It was released by more than 100 high-ranking retired military officials and other enlisted leaders who want high-calorie food and sugar-sweetened drinks removed from the nation’s public schools.

That doesn’t include sweet tea, does it?

The report said: ‘over 27 percent of all Americans 17 to 24 years of age — over nine million young men and women — are too heavy to join the military if they want to do so.’ The estimate was […]