Military Personnel Exhibit a Lower Presence of Obesity than the General U.S. Adult Population
Abstract
Active-duty U.S. military personnel are not included in nationally representative health surveys. This study compared the prevalence of overweight and obesity among United States (U.S.) military personnel to comparable U.S. civilian data. This study was a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis. The prevalence of overweight [Body Mass Index (BMI) more than or equal to 25 and less than 30], and obesity (more than or equal to 30) among military personnel, using secondary data from 2002 and 2005 Department of Defense Surveys of Health Related Behaviors among Active Duty Military Personnel (2002, N=12,756; 2005, N=16,146), was compared to civilian data from the 2002 and 2005 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). Adjusted prevalence of overweight among military personnel was higher (2002: 46.2% vs. 33.3%, respectively; 2005: 45.8% vs. 31.1%, respectively, P less than 0.01), but obesity was lower compared to the U.S. adults (2002: 7.7% vs. 29.2%, respectively; 2005: 13.3% vs. 33.9%, respectively, P less than or equal to 0.01). Higher prevalence of overweight among military may include some persons having high lean body mass that is not identified through BMI estimations. Nonetheless, adjusted data suggests that overweight in both populations has declined slightly from 2002 to 2005, and that the prevalence of obesity is lower in military personnel. Future research to identify age-specific sub-trends may provide insight into targeted weight management strategies for military personnel and civilians.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA582202
Entities
People
- Alan White
- Andrew J Young
- Bernadette P. Marriot
- Gaston P. Bathalon
- Leslee Funderburk
- Louise Hadden
- Tracey J. Smith
Organizations
- United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine