Norwegian military warns declining fitness threatens national readiness

Norwegian defence forces are raising concerns over a sharp decline in physical fitness among the population, as more people opt for electric scooters over walking, Dagbladet reports.

Lieutenant Colonel Bjørnar Dullum, with 38 years in the military, warns that the shift toward “passive electric standing boards” is eroding everyday physical activity—with potential consequences for national defence. “We can no longer walk as far as we used to,” he stated, pointing to a row of abandoned scooters outside the newspaper’s Oslo office.

Data from scooter operators Ryde and Voi shows average trip distances of 1.8 and 2.1 kilometres respectively—distances Dullum calls “perfect for walking.” Instead, he argues, the convenience culture is reducing oxygen uptake, conditioning, and strength across the population, directly impacting the pool of eligible recruits.

“People line up for escalators while a three-metre-wide staircase sits empty beside them,” he observed, describing a daily scene at Oslo Central Station. “We like to think we’re born with skis on our feet. We’re not. Now it’s scooters.”

The military already sees the effects: higher injury rates among new recruits, many of whom arrive unprepared for physical demands. “If you lack the basic fitness to handle training, you shouldn’t be here,” Dullum said. He attributes the problem partly to a school system where physical standards have softened, leaving young adults unprepared for structured demands.

Scooter companies defend their role, citing environmental benefits and reduced car use. Ryde’s Ole August Kjærvik noted 25 million trips in 2025 alone, arguing the devices “connect people to public transport and cut emissions.” Voi’s Øystein Sundelin countered that cars—not scooters—are the real health threat, with 55% of their rides linking to transit.

But Dullum, a trained health coach with a degree from the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, dismisses the scooters as a false solution. “This isn’t about efficiency—it’s about losing our ability to move. Replace passive standing with walking. Clear your head. Reclaim your body.”

In a 2023 interview with Forsvarets Forum, he went further: “Burn them on a bonfire.”