Physical performance and body composition reference values for modern US Marine Corps women

oleh: Adam W Potter, Lyndsey J Nindl, Lara D Soto, Angie Pazmino, David P Looney, William J Tharion, Karl E Friedl, Danielle M Arcidiacono

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: BMJ Publishing Group

Deskripsi

Objectives This observational cross-sectional study describes body composition and performance values for modern Marine Corps women.Methods Volunteers were 736 Marine women who were assessed for body composition and physical performance; (age 29.5±7.3 (18–56) years; height 163.6±6.8 (131.0–186.1) cm; body mass 68.3±9.2 (42.0–105.3) kg; years in the military 8.9±6.8 (0.5–37) years-in-service). Body composition measures were obtained using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and single-frequency bioelectrical impedance analyses. Performance measures were obtained from official physical and combat fitness test scores (PFT; CFT) as well as from data on measured countermovement jumps (CMJ) on a calibrated force platform.Results Mean body composition metrics for Marine women were: 47.5±5.7 fat free mass (FFM) (kg), 30.1%±6.4% body fat (%BF), 2.6±0.3 bone mineral content (kg), and 25.5±2.8 body mass index (kg/m2); performance metrics included 43.4±3.2 maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max; mL.kg.min), 22.4±7.1 CMJ height (cm) and 2575±565.2 CMJ peak power (W). Data showed strong correlations (r) (≥0.70) between PFT and VO2max scores (0.75), and moderate correlations (≥0.50) between CFT and VO2max scores (0.57), CFT and PFT scores (0.60), FFM and CMJ peak power (W) (0.68), and %BF to VO2max (−0.52), PFT (−0.54), CMJ-Ht (−0.52) and CMJ relative power (W/kg) (−0.54).Conclusion Modern Marine women are both lean and physically high performing. Body composition is a poor predictor of general physical performance.