Relations between weight status, age and physical fitness in active military personnel

Manjak tjelesne aktivnosti, neprimjerena prehrana, sjedilački način ţivota i stres čimbenici su koji uzrokuju brojne zdravstvene probleme i vodeći su uzrok prerane smrtnosti. Oruţane snage poseban su dio populacije od koje se zahtijeva odrţavanje optimalnoga zdravstvenog stanja, visoke razine motoričkih i funkcionalnih sposobnosti te tehničke i taktičke pripremljenosti. MeĎutim, prethodno navedene pojave jasno su vidljive i u toj populaciji. Cilj je ovoga istraţivanja prikazati trend promjena statusa uhranjenosti i mišićne i kardiorespiratorne izdrţljivosti u periodu od 2012. – 2017. godine te ispitati moguću povezanost izmeĎu pokazatelja stanja uhranjenosti, varijabli za procjenu mišićne i kardiorespiratorne izdrţljivosti te varijable pušenja kod djelatnih vojnih osoba. U istraţivanju je sudjelovalo 9510 djelatnih vojnih osoba u longitudinalnom šestogodišnjem istraţivanju i 8265 djelatnih vojnih osoba u istraţivanju koje je provedeno 2017. godine. Istraţivanje je obuhvatilo pet varijabli za procjenu stanja uhranjenosti (tjelesna visina, tjelesna masa, opseg vrata, opseg trbuha, opseg kukova), pet testova za procjenu mišićne i kardiorespiratorne izdrţljivosti (sklekovi, pregibi, zgibovi, trčanje 3200 m i trčanje 2400 m) i jedan test za procjenu anaerobne izdrţljivosti (trčanje 270 m). Dobiveni rezultati obraĎeni su metodama deskriptivne statistike, korelacijskom, regresijskom i analizom (ko)varijance te t-testom za nezavisne uzorke. Rezultati ukazuju na to da postoji mala, ali statistički značajna promijena u indeksu tjelesne mase i rezultatima većine motoričkih testova u šestogodišnjem razdoblju. Nadalje, dobivena je statistički značajna, ali niska povezanost većine antropometrijskih i pušačkih varijabli te varijabli za procjenu izdrţljivosti. Rezultati ukazuju i na nisku, ali statistički značajnu multiplu korelaciju izmeĎu izvedenih indeksa (Indeks tjelesna mase i Indeks rizičnosti tipa pretilosti) te opsega trbuha u većini provedenih testova. Dobivene su statistički značajne razlike izmeĎu pušača i nepušača u izdrţljivosti kod muškaraca, dok je kod ţena dobivena statistički značajna razlika u testovima: sklek, pregib i trčanje 2400 m. ProvoĎenje istraţivanja doprinijelo je novim spoznajama o prevalenciji pretilosti i pušenja, mišićnoj i kardiorespiratornoj izdrţljivosti te je ukazalo na njihove relacije, čime su se stvorile pretpostavke za uvoĎenje korektivnih mjera u kineziološke planove i programe namijenjene djelatnim vojnim osobama. Lack of physical activity, inadequate nutrition, sedentary lifestyle and stress are the factors that cause numerous health problems and the leading cause of premature mortality in people. The Armed Forces are a special part of the population that is required to maintain optimal health status, high levels of motor skills and functional ability, and technical and tactical preparedness. However, despite the above-mentioned, the specified occurrences are clearly visible. The aim of this study is to present a trend of changes in nutritional status and muscular and cardiorespiratory endurance over a six-year period and to examine the possible correlation between nutritional status indicators, variables for muscular and cardiorespiratory endurance assessment, and smoking variables in active duty military personnel. The research involved 9510 active duty military personnel in a six-year longitudinal study together with 8265 active military personnel in the 2017 study. The study included five variables in order to assess nutritional status (body height, body mass, neck circumference, waist circumference, hip circumference) and six tests to assess muscular and cardiorespiratory endurance, depending on the military personnel categories (push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, 3200 m run, 2400 m run and 270 m run). The obtained results were processed by methods of descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analysis, (co) variance analysis and t-test for independent samples. The results indicate that there is a small, statistically significant change of the body mass index and the results obtained in most motor tests over a six-year period. Furthermore, the correlation between most anthropometric variables and variables for the assessment of muscular and cardiorespiratory endurance and smoking variables was obtained. It is statistically significant, but small. The results also show a moderately high and statistically significant multiple correlation between derived indices (BMI and WHR (waist-hip ratio) and abdominal circumference and neck circumference in all tests performed. Statistically significant differences were obtained between smokers and non-smokers in muscular and cardiorespiratory endurance in men, while in women, a statistically significant difference was obtained in push-ups, sit-ups, and the 2400m run tests. The results also indicate gender differences between smokers and non-smokers in the tests performed. The research contributed to new findings on the prevalence of obesity and smoking, muscular and cardiorespiratory endurance, and indicated their correlation, thus creating the preconditions for the introduction of corrective measures and their possible implementation in kinesiological plans and programs intended for active service members. Considering the results obtained and the problems identified, it is essential that muscular and cardiorespiratory endurance and nutritional status indicators be systematically monitored, with the aim of preventing and educating members about the negative impact of overweight and smoking on the health of individuals and fitness of the military system.