Relationship between military test scores and obesity-related health risk scores in air defense troops

Abstract

Purpose: To study the relationship between the results of the Army Combat Fitness Test and the age, gender, body mass index, waist circumference, and health risk index in the military personnel of the Ukrainian army.
 Design: The analysis was based on data collected in 2020 for 306 military personnel (255 men and 51 women).
 Methods: To compare the number of the Army Combat Fitness Test performed and not performed by military personnel by age, Body Mass Index group, and non-obese and risk groups. Pearson χ2 test was used. Odds ratios were calculated to assess the risk factors for failing the Army Combat Fitness Test. These analyses were performed depending on gender. Loglinear and Receiver Operating Characteristic – these data were used to determine success within military personnel
 Results: The incidence of non-compliance with the Army Combat Fitness Test in men and women was statistically different in all groups (p = 0.000). The results show 23.529% of male soldiers failed the test. Obese male soldiers did not pass this test (83.333%) while non-obese soldiers (20.576%). Among women, the number of those who did not pass the test was 78.431%. Male and female soldiers classified as "at-risk" had the highest test failure rates (54.255% and 97.436%).
 The observed dependence is statistically significant (p <0.001). The relative risk index indicates a direct relationship between obesity and failing the test (p <0.001). Loglinear analysis yielded a meaningful model (χ2 (3) = 169.182; p = 0.000). Wald allows you to determine the statistical significance of individual indicators such as gender. Body Mass Index, risk. These indicators have a great impact on the success of the test. We can talk about a fairly high-quality predictive model with fairly high specificity and excellent classification.
 Conclusions. The Army Combat Fitness Test is age-tolerant, and Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference are useful indicators for fitness test results for the Grounded forces.