Body Composition
Travis Combest, MS, MPH, PhD Candidate
Exercise Physiologist
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Chantilly, Virginia, United States
James J. Tufano, PhD, CSCS*D
Professor
Charles University
Prague, Hlavni mesto Praha, Czech Republic
Michael T. Lane, PhD
Professor
Eastern Kentucky University
Richmond, Kentucky, United States
Jordan Moon
Faculty
Concordia University Chicago
River Forest, Illinois, United States
Background: Frequent military physical training typically consists of jogging and running that can occur in the morning before the workday. This training could impact morning body composition assessments, however not much is known of this impact.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to measure the impact of a moderate intensity aerobic training of a 1.5-mile jog/run on the body fat percentage (BF%) of direct segmental multifrequency bioelectrical analysis (DSM BIA) methods of up to 500Khz and 1000Khz and the DoD Circumference Method (CM).
Methods: Descriptives were taken with a total of 62 participants (majority active-duty service members) in the study, with n=25 males and n=37 females. All variables were measured with (mean+/-SD). The age for the total 41.79+/-14.39yrs, males: 38.8+/-11.4yrs and females: 43.7+/-15.95yrs, p=0.19. BF% was measured with DSM-BIA with multi-frequencies up to (500khz and 1000khz), and the DoD body fat% Circumference Equation (Males: neck and waist, Females: neck, waist, hips) to identify the difference of body fat percentage before and after (immediately after) a moderate intensity 65-75% Target Heart Rate 1.5-mile mile jog/run using a t-test, reported at the level p < .05*.
Results: Body Composition measured before and after a 1.5-mile exercise with CM Total: Before (29.25+/-11.4BF%), After (29.16+/-11.14BF%), p=.71, Males: Before (19.84+/-6.45BF%), After (20+/-6.22BF%), p = .59, Females: Before (35.2+/-9.46BF%), After (35.34+/-9.36BF%), p =.50. DSM BIA 500 Total: Before (28.40+/-9.34BF%), After (28.1+/-9.50BF%)*, Males: Before (21.75+/-7.05BF%), After (21.3+/-6.91BF%), p < .05, Females: Before (32.89+/-7.94BF%), After (32.66+/-8.22BF%), p=.19. DSM BIA 1000 Total: Before (28.11+/-9.75BF%), After (27.36+/-9.81%), p < .05 (Figure 1), Males: Before (20.76+/-6.95BF%), After (20.03+/-7.02BF%)*, Females: Before (33.08+/-8.12BF%), After (32.31+/-8.22BF%)*.
Conclusion: BF% measured before and after a moderate intensity 1.5-mile jog/run was not significantly different when measured with CM. BF% measured by the DSM BIA 500 was significantly different in the total and male group but not significant in the female group. BF% measured by the DSM BIA 1000 was significantly different in all groups.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Coaches, clinicians and practitioners may need to ask if the service member exercised that day and or reschedule the body composition for the avoidance of physical activity of moderate intensity of approximately 20-30 minutes before a BF% with DSM BIA methods.
Acknowledgements:
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this presentation are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the official policy of the Department of Army, Navy, Defense, or any other agency of the U.S. Government, nor should any official endorsement be inferred by the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.