Obesity is a significant global health concern with widespread implications for overall health.The UAE has a high obesity prevalence, with 43.0% of the population overweight and 32.3% obese, posing challenges to military fitness. Several studied showed high-intensity weight-loss interventions, incorporating structured dietary management and physical training have shown moderate efficacy in improving BMI in military populations. Mandatory national service military training for male UAE nationals provides a military training including intensive weight reduction program for obese recruits.This study examines the impact of a structured dietary and exercise intervention on BMI in obese UAE national service recruits.A retrospective cohort study done on obese male recruits (BMI ≥30)undergoing a specific diet and intense military exercise at National services Military Camp from September 2023 to December 2023.Data of 320 recruits were collected from medical records after ethical approval.The BMI was measured in recruitment clinics before starting the intensive diet and exercise program and follow up after 4 months was done to measure the changes of BMI at the end of the course.Results indicated a statistically significant reduction in weight, decreasing from a mean of 112.22 ± 16.92 kg to 95.82 ± 13.50 kg. This amounted to an average weight loss of 16.40 kg (95% CI: 15.73–17.06, p = 0.0001, t = 48.21). Correspondingly, BMI dropped from 37.82 ± 4.99 to 32.30 ± 3.96, reflecting a mean decrease of 5.52 (95% CI: 5.30–5.74, p = 0.0001, t = 49.53).The high t-values and very low p-values indicate strong evidence that the structured diet and military training substantially improved body composition among participants. In contrast, no significant difference was observed for either systolic or diastolic blood pressure between the two time points.The results were encouraging, with participants losing an average of 16.4 kg and showing a clear improvement in BMI.Compared with earlier UAE studies, this program involved more participants and achieved greater results.A four-month structured diet and intense military training intervention for obese UAE national service recruits significantly reduced both weight and BMI.Ongoing research should examine long-term impacts, adherence rates, and additional health outcomes to optimize these programs’ benefits for recruits.