Rationale and Evidence Supporting Changes to the Army Weight Control Program

Abstract : The Assistant Secretary of Defense (Force Management Policy) reissued Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) l308.3 DoD Physical Fitness and Body Fat Program's Procedures in November 2002. To bring Army Regulation (AR) 600-9, The Army Weight Control Program, into compliance with DoDI 1308.3, female screening weight-for-height tables must be increased and male and female DoD body fat equations to measure percent body fat adopted. Male screening weights will not change as they meet DoDI 1308.3 guidance. Circumference sites to measure percent body fat would change from the neck, forearm, wrist and hips to the neck, abdomen I (waist), and hips for females. In contrast, circumference sites for males would remain the same (neck and abdomen II, at the level of the umbilicus). The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) was asked to collect height, weight, and circumference measurements of active duty Soldiers to assess the impact of proposed changes on compliance with AR-600-9.