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Body mass does not reflect the body composition changes in response to similar physical training in young women and men.
Foulis, SA, Hughes, JM, Walker, LA, Guerriere, KI, Taylor, KM, Proctor, SP, Friedl, KE
International journal of obesity (2005). 2021;(3):659-665
Abstract
INTRODUCTION U.S. Army Basic Combat Training (BCT) prepares new recruits to meet soldier physical demands. It also serves as a model of physical changes in healthy young nonobese women and men during an intensive 10-week training program without diet restriction. In this prospective observational study, we quantified the changes in lean mass and body fat induced by BCT in a large sample of men and women undergoing the same physical training program. METHODS Young women (n = 573) and men (n = 1071) meeting Army health and fitness recruitment standards volunteered to provide DXA-derived body composition data at the beginning and end of BCT. RESULTS During BCT, there was no change in body mass in women and a 1.7-kg loss in men. Relative body fat (%BF) declined by an average of 4.0 ± 2.4 and 3.4 ± 2.8 percentage points (±SD) for women and men, respectively. The greatest predictor of change in %BF during BCT for both sexes was %BF at the beginning of training. Women and men gained an average 2.7 ± 1.6 kg and 1.7 ± 2.0 kg of lean mass during BCT. CONCLUSIONS Army BCT produced significant effects on body composition despite minimal changes in total body mass. These findings demonstrate the ability of a 10-week sex-integrated physical training program to positively alter body composition profiles of young adults.
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Health Behaviors and Psychosocial Attributes of US Soldiers.
Kegel, JL, Kazman, JB, Scott, JM, Deuster, PA
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2020;(9):1469-1483
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health trends, which promote performance enhancement and maintaining or increasing muscle strength, may appeal to soldiers looking to maintain health standards set by the US Army, but often these trends require further investigation to assess safety and efficacy. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and use of weight loss and/or performance-enhancing/body-building dietary supplements (WL/PES DS) are two such trends that, if implemented inappropriately, can negatively impact soldier health and readiness. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to establish health/psychosocial profiles of US Army soldiers who participate in HIIT and/or use WL/PES DS. DESIGN This cross-sectional observational study used data from the 2016 US Army Global Assessment Tool. PARTICIPANTS Data were analyzed from respondents to the 2016 US Army Global Assessment Tool (n=299,996) who consented to have their data used for research purposes. RESULTS Soldiers were classified into four groups based on HIIT and/or WL/PES DS use. Thirty-five percent of soldiers participated in HIIT and 10% took WL/PES DS at least once per month in the last year. HIIT participation was associated with higher reported odds of healthy behaviors and higher emotional and social fitness. In contrast to HIIT, WL/PES DS use was associated with higher reported odds of risky behaviors (hazardous drinking and tobacco use) and lower psychosocial fitness. The group participating in HIIT but not using WL/PES DS reported fewer unhealthy behaviors compared to the HIIT+WL/PES DS and WL/PES DS-only groups. CONCLUSIONS Engaging in HIIT is associated with higher reported odds of healthy behaviors and increased psychosocial fitness. However, soldiers who engaged in HIIT also have increased odds of WL/PES DS use, which is associated with greater reported risky behaviors and reduced fitness. Although HIIT and WL/PES DS use are related, they are associated with different reported health/risky behaviors and different psychosocial attributes.
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Resilience Among Caregivers of Injured Service Members: Finding the Strengths in Caregiving.
Dreer, LE, Cox, MK, McBrayer, A, Neumeier, WH, Herman, C, Malone, LA
Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation. 2019;(4S):S76-S84
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the relationships between caregiver resilience and a comprehensive set of sociodemographic and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) predictors among both caregivers and injured service members. DESIGN Cross-sectional analysis of an observational cohort. SETTING Community dwelling. PARTICIPANTS Caregivers (n=87) who provide instrumental or emotional support to injured service members (n=73)(N=160). INTERVENTIONS Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 25-item version. RESULTS Higher caregiver resilience scores were related to lower depressive symptom severity, greater health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, stress management, and problem-solving orientation. A multivariable regression model showed that spiritual growth and aspects of problem-solving orientation were significantly related to resilience. CONCLUSIONS Results highlight the relationships between resilience and spirituality, problem-solving orientation, and aspects of HRQOL among caregivers of injured service members. These findings have important implications for caregiver behavioral health programs designed to promote resilience and draw upon caregiver strengths when taking on a caregiver role. Approaches that include a more integrative medicine or strengths-based emphasis may be particularly beneficial when working with families of injured military.
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Epidemiological study of metabolic syndrome in Brazilian soldiers.
Fortes, MSR, Rosa, SED, Coutinho, W, Neves, EB
Archives of endocrinology and metabolism. 2019;(4):345-350
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to carry out an epidemiological analysis of metabolic syndrome among Brazilian Army soldiers. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Two thousand seven hundred and nineteen male soldiers of the Brazilian Army were evaluated from 2014 to 2016. Characteristics: age = 27.77 (± 8.59) years and BMI = 25.15 (± 3.41) kg/m2. Blood tests and anthropometric measures were performed following the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on MS Epidemiology and Prevention, 2009. The epidemiological analysis was based on Odds ratio (OR) with confidence interval (CI). RESULTS The prevalence of MS found was 12.21%. Both WC and BMI proved to be good predictors of changes in MS physiological markers. Increased WC and BMI were strongly associated with all physiological markers. Soldiers with WC ≥ 90 were more likely to present MS with OR = 33.37 (24.37-45.7). Soldiers with WC ≥ 90 also presented high risk of: high triglycerides with OR = 5.98 (4.69-7.61); low HLD-c with OR = 1.78 (1.47-2.16); and increased systolic blood pressure OR = 3.10 (2.55-3.76). Soldiers with BMI ≥ 30 had a high risk of: increased glucose with OR = 2.69 (1.93-3.75); and increased diastolic blood pressure with OR = 3.02 (2.22-4.10). CONCLUSION Both WC and BMI can be considered as good predictors of changes in MS physiological markers. We believe that WC and BMI should be used as screening tools to indicate the soldiers that must undergo blood tests to monitor MS prevalence.
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The association of insomnia and sleep apnea with deployment and combat exposure in the entire population of US army soldiers from 1997 to 2011: a retrospective cohort investigation.
Caldwell, JA, Knapik, JJ, Shing, TL, Kardouni, JR, Lieberman, HR
Sleep. 2019;(8)
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Abstract
Since 2001, the United States has been engaged in the longest and most expensive overseas conflict in its history. Sleep disorders, especially insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), are common in service members and appear related to deployment and combat exposure, but this has not been systematically examined. Therefore, the incidence of clinically diagnosed insomnia and OSA from 1997 to 2011 in the entire population of US Army soldiers was determined and associations of these disorders with deployment and combat exposure examined. This observational retrospective cohort study linked medical, demographic, deployment, and combat casualty data from all active duty US Army soldiers serving from 1997 to 2011 (n = 1 357 150). The mediating effects of multiple known comorbid conditions were considered. From 2003 to 2011, there were extraordinary increases in incidence of insomnia (652%) and OSA (600%). Factors increasing insomnia risk were deployment (risk ratio [RR] [deployed/not deployed] = 2.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.04-2.08) and combat exposure (RR [exposed/not exposed] = 1.20; 95% CI, 1.19-1.22). Risk of OSA was increased by deployment (RR [deployed/not deployed] = 2.14; 95% CI, 2.11-2.17), but not combat exposure (RR [exposed/not exposed] = 1.00; 95% CI, 0.98-1.02). These relationships remained after accounting for other factors in multivariable analyses. A number of comorbid medical conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury mediated a portion of the association between the sleep disorders and deployment. It is essential to determine underlying mechanisms responsible for these very large increases in insomnia and OSA and introduce effective preventive measures.