U.S. military personnel are required to adhere to standards of body composition, fitness, and appearance to achieve and maintain readiness—that is, the maintenance of optimum health and performance so they are ready for deployment at any moment. In 1992, the Committee on Military Nutrition Research reviewed the existing standards and found, among other things, that the standards for body composition required for women to achieve an appearance goal seemed to conflict with those necessary to ensure the ability to perform many types of military tasks. This report addresses that conflict, and reviews and makes recommendations about current policies governing body composition and fitness, as well as postpartum return-to-duty standards, Military Recommended Dietary Allowances, and physical activity and nutritional practices of military women to determine their individual and collective impact on the health, fitness, and readiness of active-duty women.
- Assessing Readiness in Military Women
- Copyright
- Preface
- Contents
- Assessing Readiness in Military Women
- Executive Summary
- THE COMMITTEE'S TASK
- METHODS
- BACKGROUND
- FINDINGS
- RECOMMENDATIONS
- RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
- Survey Design and Administration
- Relevant Data from Previous Surveys of Military Personnel and in Existing DoD Databases
- Effective Use of Existing Data
- Recommendations for New Methods
- Additional Data Needed
- Additional Research Recommendations
- REFERENCES
- 1 Introduction
- COMMITTEE CHARGE
- DEMOGRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY WOMEN
- METHODS AND RESOURCES USED FOR THE REPORT
- REFERENCES
- 2 Body Composition
- HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
- OVERVIEW OF BODY WEIGHT AND COMPOSITION
- General Concepts
- Body Mass Index
- Components of Body Composition
- Summary
- BODY COMPOSITION MEASUREMENT
- Field Methods
- Military Anthropometric Measurements
- Criterion Methods
- Summary
- FACTORS AFFECTING BODY COMPOSITION
- Body Composition and Age
- Genetic Influences on Body Composition
- Ethnic Differences in Fat-Free Mass
- Ethnic Differences in Total Body fat and Fat Distribution
- Summary
- INFLUENCES OF BODY COMPOSITION ON HEALTH, FITNESS, AND APPEARANCE
- Body Composition and Health
- Body Fat Distribution
- Body Composition and Risk for Injury
- Body Composition and Fitness
- Body Fat Standards Versus Fitness Standards
- Body Composition and Appearance
- Summary
- CONCLUDING REMARKS
- REFERENCES
- 3 Physical Fitness Policies and Programs
- DEFINITION OF FITNESS
- CURRENT MILITARY PHYSICAL FITNESS STANDARDS, TESTING, AND PROGRAMS
- Health-Related Fitness
- Ongoing Physical Fitness Training in the Military
- Occupation-Related Fitness
- Summary
- CIVILIAN PERFORMANCE TESTING
- Theoretical Issues
- Police Force Physical Tests
- Firefighting Services
- Summary
- BODY COMPOSITION, FITNESS, AND TASK PERFORMANCE
- Body Composition and Fitness
- Body Fat and Performance
- Fat-Free Mass and Performance
- Musculoskeletal Injury and Fitness
- Strategies to Improve Performance on Physically Demanding Military Tasks
- Strength Training
- Job Redesign
- Summary
- CONCLUSION
- REFERENCES
- 4 Weight Management
- MILITARY WEIGHT MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS
- Army
- Air Force
- Navy and Marine Corps
- Outcome Assessment for Military Weight Management Programs
- Summary
- PREVALENCE OF ACTUAL AND SELF-PERCEIVED WEIGHT PROBLEMS
- Large Self-Report Surveys
- Smaller Surveys
- Data from Medical and Personnel Databases
- Low Body Weight
- Summary
- ISSUES IN WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
- Body Image and Weight Maintenance
- Methods Used by Military Women to Lose and Maintain Weight
- Negative Diet Behaviors in Civilian Populations
- Physical Consequences of Chronic Dieting
- Weight Cycling and Body Composition
- Weight Cycling and Resting Energy Expenditure
- Weight Cycling and Risk for Disease
- Methods for Successful Weight Management
- Factors Associated with Successful Weight Management
- Prevention of Obesity
- Summary
- CONCLUDING REMARKS: WEIGHT MANAGEMENT AS A MILITARY READINESS ISSUE
- REFERENCES
- 5 Nutritional Concerns of Military Women
- CONSEQUENCES OF CHRONIC DIETING
- Energy Deficit and Cognitive Function
- Female Athlete Triad
- Energy Intake
- Dietary Fiber
- Dietary Fat
- Other Nutrients
- Role of Body Fat
- Risk For Musculoskeletal Injury And Female Athlete Triad in Active-Duty Military Women
- Nutrient Adequacy of Weight Loss Diets
- Summary
- INFLUENCE OF MILITARY OPERATIONAL RATIONS AND DINING HALL MEALS ON THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF ACTIVE- ...
- Results Of Military Nutrition Studies
- Impact of Altered Nutrient Status
- Iron
- Calcium
- Folate
- Protein
- Energy
- Fluids
- Summary
- CONCLUDING REMARKS
- REFERENCES
- 6 Pregnancy and Lactation and Postpartum Return-to-Duty Fitness
- MILITARY POLICIES ON PREGNANCY AND POSTPARTUM ATTAINMENT OF WEIGHT/FAT AND FITNESS STANDARDS
- PROFILE OF MILITARY WOMEN AND RISK FACTORS FOR POOR PREGNANCY OUTCOME
- REPRODUCTIVE HISTORY OF MILITARY WOMEN
- Pregnancy Prevalence
- Navy
- Marine Corps
- Army
- Air Force
- Civilians
- Pregnancy Course And Outcome
- Summary
- EXERCISE AND PREGNANCY
- POSTPARTUM CHANGES IN WEIGHT AND PHYSICAL FITNESS
- Gestational Weight Gain
- Postpartum Weight Loss
- Use of Military Body Composition Equations in Postpartum Women
- Changes in Postpartum Physical Fitness
- Summary
- LACTATION
- Military Studies
- Lactation and Postpartum Weight Loss
- Physical Activity and Lactation
- Summary
- NUTRITION DURING PREGNANCY AND POSTPARTUM
- CONCLUDING REMARKS
- REFERENCES
- 7 Conclusions and Recommendations
- Recommendations
- Discussion
- Recommendations for Additional Research
- Recommendations
- Discussion
- Recommendations for Additional Research
- Recommendations
- Discussion
- Recommendations for Additional Research
- RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE DESIGN AND ADMINISTRATION OF SURVEYS
- Relevant Data from Previous Surveys of Military Personnel
- Relevant Data in Existing DoD Databases
- Effective Use of Existing Data
- Recommendations For New Methods
- Additional Data Needed
- REFERENCES
- Appendixes
- A Workshop Summary, Agenda, Participants, and Abstracts
- Workshop Summary
- Introduction
- Demographics
- Readiness from a Command Perspective
- Body Composition And Fitness
- Policy and Rationale
- Estimations of Percentage of Soldiers In and Out of Compliance
- Perceptions of Wellness and Readiness Assessment
- Variation In Body Composition Due To Ethnicity Or Gender
- Relationships Between Body Composition and Physical Performance
- Fitness Tests and Programs
- Nutritional Issues
- Assessment of Nutritional Status and Knowledge among Active-Duty Women
- Eating Disorders And Disturbed Eating
- Health Consequences Of Undernutrition
- Factors Influencing Bone Mineral Density
- Female Athlete Triad
- Military Factors, Menstrual Irregularities, Bone Mineral Density, and Stress Fracture Risk
- Diet and Cognitive Function
- Pregnancy And Lactation
- Pregnancy Rates and Reproductive History among Military Women
- Military Policies for Pregnant and Postpartum Soldiers
- Postpartum Return to Duty Readiness: Lactation
- Exercise During Lactation
- Military Concerns
- Questions Raised At The Workshop
- Demographics
- Body Composition and Fitness
- Minimum Lean Body Mass
- Appearance versus Health
- Minimal Accession Standards
- Nutritional Issues
- Pregnancy and Lactation
- REFERENCES
- Workshop Agenda
- Workshop Participants
- Workshop Abstracts
- Military Readiness of Women: An Overview From The Command Perspective
- Overview Of The Military Woman
- Health And Nutrition Profile Of Women In The Navy
- Characteristics Of Female Midshipmen: 1992 To 1996
- Health, Fitness, And Nutrition Among Military Women And Men
- Disordered Eating Among Women In The Armed Forces
- Body Composition And Physical Performance Of Women
- Methodological Problems In The Assessment Of Women's Body Composition By The Military: Identificatio ...
- Ethnic Differences In Body Composition: Application To Active Military Women
- Background
- Fat-Free Body Composition of African American Women
- Fat-Free Body Composition of Native American Women
- Fat-Free Body Composition of Asian Women
- Fat-Free Body Composition of Hispanic Women
- Fat-Free Body Composition of Caucasian Women
- Conclusions and Recommendations
- References
- Cross-Sectional Profile Of Body Composition Among Active-Duty Navy And Marine Corps Personnel
- Accession Weight Standards: Inconsistencies And Gender Bias
- Army Physical Fitness Program
- Physical Readiness Program, U.S. Navy
- References
- Assessment Of Fitness In The Air Force: Evaluation Of The Cycle Ergometry Program
- Effect Of Alterations In Excess Weight On The Physical Performance Of Men And Women
- Zinc And Iron Nutriture: Neuropsychological Function Of Women
- References
- Perspectives On Nutritional Issues Of Army Women
- References
- Body Weight Satisfaction And Status Of Army Women
- References
- Gender Differences In Food Ration Preferences And Consumption Among Military Personnel
- Health Consequences And Assessment Of Disordered Eating And Weight Control Behaviors
- Calcium Needs Of Premenopausal Women
- The Female Athlete Triad: Effects On The Skeleton
- The Impact Of Physical Fitness And Gender-Integrated Training On Risks Of Stress Fractures And Other ...
- Clinical Impact Of U.S. Army Policies And Procedures On Pregnancy, The Postpartum Period, And Body C ...
- References
- The Impact Of Pregnancy Weight Restriction, Postpartum Exercise, And Weight Loss On Lactation
- Pregnancy Weight Restriction and Lactation Performance
- Lactation and Weight Loss
- References
- Pregnancy Among Navy Women
- B Practices and Policies Tables
- C Military Occupational Specialty Classification Tables
- D Search Strategy for Literature Review
- Determination Of Topic Areas
- Formulation Of Search Terms
- Searches Of Bibliographic Databases
- Selection Of Relevant Citations
- Additional Searches And Requests For Material
- Types Of Material Considered
- References
- E Civilian Inquiry Letter and Table of Responses
- F Abbreviations
- G Bibliography
- H Biographical Sketches
- Index
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