Cigarette Smoking, Body Mass Index, and physical Fitness Changes Among Male Navy Personnel
Abstract
The short-term effect of cigarette smoking on a military population of healthy men is not clear. The study objective was to examine smoking and change in fitness over 1?4 years, while controlling for fluctuations in body mass index (BMI). Of the total sample, 20% (n = 18,537) were identified as current smokers. Compared with nonsmokers, smokers were more likely to be enlisted, younger, and have lower BMI measurements at baseline. Additionally, smokers had slower 1.5-mile run/walk times and completed fewer curl-ups and push-ups than nonsmokers. A linear mixed modeling procedure was used to determine factors contributing to longitudinal changes in both BMI and 1.5-mile run/walk time. The model indicated that over 4 years, smokers, in comparison with nonsmokers, experienced a significantly greater rate of decrease in fitness, even while controlling for changes in BMI. These findings suggest that smoking during military deployment has adverse short-term effects that may persist long after military service has ended.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 30, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA562595
Entities
People
- Andrew J. MacGregor
- Caroline A. MacEra
- Hilary J. Aralis
- Michael R. Galarneau
- Mitchell Rauh
- Peggy P. Han
Organizations
- Naval Health Research Center