Assessment of Excess Weight and Fat in Army Weight Control Program Participants

Abstract

PURPOSE: Soldiers are not immune to the influences of an obesogenic environment, even though regulations prohibiting obesity are strictly enforced. Excess body fat, not excess body weight, is the metric for placing a soldier on the Army Weight Control Program (AWCP). Our aim was to assess the extent of excess body weight and body fat and prevalence of soldiers with abnormal biochemistries on the AWCP. METHODS: Anonymous records of soldiers enrolled in the AWCP and reporting for nutritional counseling at Army medical treatment facilities during the period June 2002 through July 2005 were reviewed. RESULTS: 3440 complete records were analyzed. The men were 26.5 (6.3) years old (mean (SD)) and the women were 24.9 (6.1) years old; 53% (n=1824) were young (21–27 y) and 68% (n=2331) of lower enlisted ranks (E1 to E4). Everyone in the sample exceeded Army body fat standards, a necessary condition for placement on the AWCP; 65% (n=1 875) of men and 39% (n=211) of women were classified as obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2). The range of excess weight (above the weight-for-height allowance) was similar for men and women (range 1 to 136 lbs). However, men had a wider range of excess body fat (0.1 to 24.0%) compared to women (0.1 to 12.0%). The prevalence of elevated health risk ranged from 4–30% (table). Of particular interest is that 30% (n=425) of the men and 13% (n=39) of the women had impaired fasting glucose (100–125 mg/dL).TableCONCLUSION: Soldiers enrolled in the AWCP must lose significant amounts of excess body weight and body fat to meet Army standards, may have elevated health risk(s), and effective programs to help Soldiers manage body weight are needed.