Body Mass Index Effect on Health Service Utilization Among Active Duty Male United States Army Soldiers
Abstract
Obesity and overweight, defined as body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 and above or 25.0–29.9, respectively, are of significant concern to the military population, due to their associated comorbidities and potential for impaired readiness. In 2016, the US Army reported a prevalence of 17.3% obesity and 52.9% overweight among soldiers, despite both physical demands of the job and Department of Defense (DoD) guidelines which recommend separation from service for those unable to meet body composition standards. This study examines the health service utilization of active duty, male Army soldiers in order to determine the prevalence of obesity and overweight and to estimate the effects of these conditions on readiness.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Feb 27, 2019
- Source ID
- 10.1093/milmed/usz032
Entities
People
- Amanda Banaag
- Avni Patel
- Brian Shiozawa
- Cathaleen Madsen
- Tracey Koehlmoos
Organizations
- Defense Health Agency
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences