Introduction: Higher values of certain body composition parameters (body fat, waist circumference, BMI…) are associated with a higher risk for developing certain cardio – vascular and metabolic diseases and early death. These same parameters can negatively effect motor skills of children and adults especially in physically demanding occupations that require good physical readiness such as police or military work. Members of the military forces are regularly tested for their physical and combat readiness but are often classified as fit or not fit only by the value of their BMI and no other body composition parameter in foreign countries while the Slovenian armed forces use no such classification method. Another problem is also the poorly researched subject where most of the research only focused on BMI and rarely on other body composition parameters and their influence or connection with physical or combat readiness of members in the armed forces. This is why we researched the connection between different body composition parameters (BF%, WC, WtHtR) and BMI with the results of a modified version of the army physical fitness test used by the Slovenian armed forces. Our goal was to find if there is a correlation between the selected parameters and motor tests and what kind of correlation exists. We also wanted to find if higher values of these body composition parameters result in worse motor test results of members in the Slovenian armed forces. Methods: 173 male members of Slovenian armed forces with an average age of 39,9 years participated in this study. Each participant performed an anthropometric measurement of body height, weight and waist circumference. Afterwards they conducted an isometric test of grip strength with the dominant and nondominant hand. They then performed a body composition measurement with bioelectrical impedance analysis. After these measurements they went on to conduct the battery of modified army physical fitness tests (APFT) which included modified push ups, plank hold and 10minute cycloergometry. Results: There was a statistically significant correlation (p = .000) between all of the body parameters and modified APFT motor tests as following: BMI – push ups (r = -0,275), plank (r = -0,199, p = ,009) and cycloergometer (-0,460); BF% - push ups (r = -0,510), plank (r = -0,350), CE (r = -0,609); WC – push ups (r = -0,530), plank (r = -0,344), CE (r = -0,577); WtHtR – push ups (r = -0,475), plank (r = -0,303), CE (r = -0,588). Correlations between an additional isometric hand grip strength test and body parameters were r (BMI) = 0,066, p = ,390; r (BF%) = -0,097, p = ,203; r (WC) = 0,021, p = ,784; r (WtHtR) = -0,092, p = ,229. Additional between group comparisons (normal and high values) within a body parameter and motor test results showed statistically significant differences (p = .000) for BMI and cycloergometer; BF%, WC, WtHtR and all APFT motor tests. Conclusions: This research has shown that values of certain body composition parameters are negatively correlated with the results of motor tests of the modified APFT testing battery meaning that higher values of a selected body composition parameter will result in worse motor test result. Meanwhile no correlation with the isometric grip strength test was found. Additionally the research showed that soldiers with a healthy waist circumference, BF% and WtHtR will in average achieve better results than soldiers with unhealthy values. The biggest difference was discovered when the soldiers were classified into healthy, unhealthy and obese. The biggest differences in the results of the motor test was between the obese soldiers and both healthy and unhealthy soldiers showing that the drop off in physical and combat readiness appears to be when a soldier is obese while the drop off in performance is not as noticeable when a soldier is classified as overweight. Soldiers with high ITM achieved a worse result only in the cycloergometer test. This research shows that the use of a body composition parameter as a way of classifying members of Slovenian armed forces by their physical and combat readiness would be advised. The members could be classified into physically better and worse groups, where the latter group could implement a specific exercise program with the aim of improving the selected body composition parameter and likely improve their physical and combat readiness. After a selected period of time the groups would merge back with the difference in readiness likely less noticeable. The weakest correlation was discovered between BMI and the motor tests meaning that the use of one of the other body parameters would be advised as they have a stronger correlation with the results of both anaerobic and aerobic motor tests. Further research is needed on the subject.
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