Body Composition and Physical Performance: Applications For the Military Services

Abstract : The relationship of body composition to performance of physical tasks is of major interest to the military. Not only is it important in the decisions of acceptance or rejection of recruits for military service, but it also has significant implications for the individual relating to retention and advancement while in the services. There are financial implications as well for the military services, due to the high cost of training replacements, when individuals are discharged for failure to meet the established standards. The discharge of highly trained and experienced specialists has significant additional implications concerning unit readiness and performance. The application of body composition standards in the military on a rational and equitable basis based on ethnicity, gender, and age is therefore an important issue. The questions explored in this workshop were as follows: (1) What is the relationship between body composition and physical performance in terms of the military's needs?; (2) Can the service's needs in performance, appearance, and health be blended together in a body composition standard?; and (3) When the services already have performance standards (i.e., various fitness and occupational tests), do they also need a body composition standard? Part I contains a summary of the workshop and recommendations by the Committee on Military Nutrition Research (CMNR). Part II contains the 11 papers presented at the workshop. Part III contains the committee discussion paper "Body Composition Measurement: Accuracy, Validity, and Comparability."