Overweight and Obesity in the French Army

Abstract

Introduction Today, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is, respectively, 49% and 17% among French adults. This research investigates their existence in the French Armed Forces, in terms of the impact on military operative response and military readiness. As no previous studies have evaluated the weight status of the whole French Armed Forces, this work assesses the situation for the first time in France. Material and Methods A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out between September 2016 and April 2017. A single anonymous questionnaire gathered the sociodemographic variables and usual care medical data. The source population was active duty members serving in units reporting to the South-Eastern French Regional Military Health Department. Results Among 1,589 respondents, prevalence of overweight and obesity was, respectively, 38.7% and 10%. Mean waist circumference was 78.2 ± 9.1 cm for women and 89.1 ± 10.5 cm for men. A third of female military and one-fifth of male military had a measure bigger than the standard International Diabetes Federation. Age, sex, weekly fitness activity, and rank were significant independent predictors of body weight excess. Less than 5% of the study population reported a diagnosis of comorbidity: diabetes 2%, high blood pressure 1%, and dyslipidemia 1.5%. Conclusions As all armies, the French Armed Forces are affected by obesity. Nevertheless, the prevalence of obesity seems lower than in other Western armies. In the French army, as in the general population, obesity is correlated with socioeconomic status and level of education. However, compared to the general French population, there is less obesity and overweight in the French Armed Forces. Moreover, overweight and obese military members have a lower cardiovascular risk than their civilian counterparts. Enlistment standards, military occupational activity, and a mandatory high level of physical fitness could explain these different proportions of overweight and obesity. This raises the question of the protective effect of regular physical activity. Is this a serious way to fight against the growing prevalence of overweight and obesity in Western countries? Indeed, this is a significant public health issue, which also affects the military’s quick response force capacity and strategic capabilities. Therefore, the identification of specific demographic characteristics should be considered in developing prevention programs.

Assessment of Risk Factors for Development of Overweight and Obesity among Soldiers of Polish Armed Forces Participating in the National Health Programme 2016–2020

“…Smith et al [ 35 ] note that age was associated with obesity among military personnel, most likely as a result of gaining small amounts of weight over many years. We agree with the thesis of Quertier et al [ 13 ], that this relationship could result from changes in employment type, such as from active operational roles to more sedentary posts, which induce weight gain.…”

“…As in our study, age was also one of the most significant risk factors for obesity among soldiers in the Saudi Arabian [ 34 ], American [ 10 , 35 ], French [ 13 ] and UK armed forces [ 11 , 36 ]. The fact that obesity increases with the age of soldiers is worrying, as it suggests that obesity develops while serving in the Armed Forces, contrary to our expectations [ 37 ].…”

“…Our survey found a 17% prevalence of obesity in the Polish Armed Forces. This percentage is higher than that in the American, French, English or Iranian armies [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ] but lower than that in the Saudi Army [ 15 ].…”

“…Studies have shown an alarmingly high prevalence of excessive body weight among soldiers all over the world. Soldiers fulfilling the criteria of obesity constitute 8% in the US Army [ 10 ], 12% in the British Army [ 11 ], 13% in the Iranian Army [ 12 , 13 ] and 6% in the Polish Air Force [ 14 ]. A higher percentage of soldiers with excessive body weight was found in the Saudi Arabian Army, where obesity was diagnosed in 44% of soldiers [ 15 ].…”

“…The above studies on obesity among military personnel most often evaluated sociodemographic factors such as age, sex, marital status, military rank and employment. Only one of these studies evaluated the effects of fitness and physical activity on body weight [ 13 ]. Risk factors contributing to the obesity epidemic are of interest to many researchers worldwide.…”