INFLUENCE OF BMI & WAIST SIZE ON THE PHYSICAL FITNESS OF AVIATORS

INTRODUCTION: Physical fitness is an imperative for selection and retention of active duty US Military personnel. Since the US population is both aging1 and gaining weight2, we assessed the influence of these demographic factors on the physical fitness test (PFT) scores of aviators on flying status....

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Published in:Aviation, space, and environmental medicine space, and environmental medicine, 2012-03, Vol.83 (3), p.353b-353b
Main Authors: Shirani, K Z, Black, E, Elliott, J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aeronautics
Age
Aviation
Body size (biology)
Demographics
Mathematical analysis
Military personnel
Physical fitness
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Summary:INTRODUCTION: Physical fitness is an imperative for selection and retention of active duty US Military personnel. Since the US population is both aging1 and gaining weight2, we assessed the influence of these demographic factors on the physical fitness test (PFT) scores of aviators on flying status. METHODS: Following an IRB approval, we reviewed the most recent one-year records of all 324 aviators (286 men, 88%, 38 women, 12%, age range 18-59 years), who had undergone annual physical examination and had completed their PFT which required age & gender based passing score of 75%. For each individual, we calculated the body mass index (BMI), from weight and height, measured waist size (WS) in inches, and recorded the use of dietary supplements (DS). We analyzed data with the statistical package R3. RESULTS: Aviators as a group had mean age 37 years, WS 34 inches, BMI 26, and PFT scores 89. Group-1 with normal, (less-than or equal to)24.9, BMI (n=125, 39%) compared to group-2 with abnormal, 225, BMI (n=199, 61%) had respectively lower mean BMI (23 vs. 28), lower mean WS (32 vs. 36), and higher mean PFT scores (94 vs. 87; all p
ISSN:0095-6562