Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 28, 2026
12:59
Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People
Published on: July 5, 2017
Basic recruit training: health risks and opportunities.
R J Shephard1, I K Brenner, W A Bateman
1Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine, Toronto, Ontario M3M 3B9, Canada.
Military Medicine
|August 23, 2001
Summary
Basic recruit training impacts health and lifestyle. Enhancing fitness and lifestyle programs can improve recruit well-being and reduce health issues during training.
Area of Science:
- Military medicine
- Public health
- Sports science
Background:
- Recruits often enter training with suboptimal health behaviors including poor fitness, smoking, and substance abuse.
- Existing lifestyle factors in recruits pose risks for various health complications.
- Exposure to sexually transmitted diseases is a concern among the recruit population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the health and lifestyle impacts of basic military recruit training.
- To identify areas for improvement in current training programs.
- To minimize health and efficiency losses in recruits.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing studies on recruit health and training.
- Analysis of health and lifestyle factors relevant to military personnel.
- Examination of potential health risks associated with military training environments.
Main Results:
- Basic training significantly affects recruit health and lifestyle choices.
- Suboptimal pre-training health increases susceptibility to training-related injuries and illnesses.
- There is a clear need for targeted health and fitness interventions.
Conclusions:
- Enhancing fitness and lifestyle programs is crucial for recruit well-being.
- Interventions should address smoking, alcohol use, drug abuse, and STD prevention.
- Optimizing recruit health can mitigate risks like infections, injuries, and mental health issues.
Related Concept Videos
01:38Cognitive Dissonance
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural Health Centers
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Transmission-based precautions are for patients infected or suspected to be infected (or colonized) with organisms posing a significant risk to others. The transmission precautions include airborne and protective environment precautions.
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...
01:19Respiratory Assessment: Purpose and Indications
Respiratory assessment is a cornerstone of nursing assessments, crucial for the early detection of patient deterioration. This evaluation transcends routine procedures, representing a critical skill nurses must master to ensure optimal patient care.
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Exercise significantly impacts cardiovascular response, which is crucial for understanding patient health and designing effective treatment plans.
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
01:26Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV
Stress often leads to unhealthy habits like smoking, excessive drinking, and overeating, which offer short-term relief but ultimately increase long-term health risks. These behaviors create a cycle that temporarily lowers stress levels but can result in severe long-term health consequences. Breaking these habits is essential to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve overall well-being. Three primary changes that support better health include quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake,...