Weight changes among male Navy personnel deployed to Iraq or Kuwait in 2005-2008

The objective of this study was to identify changes in weight that occurred during deployment to Iraq or Kuwait between 2005 and 2008. Data on length and type of deployment among 16,365 male U.S. Navy personnel were combined with weight measurements before and after deployment from the Physical Readiness Information Management System. Weight measurements were available for 10,886 men who did not exceed Navy weight recommendations before deployment. In general, weight increased after deployment and, for those who did not exceed Navy recommendations before deployment, factors associated with weight gain included being enlisted and having a deployment longer than 228 days. Among 1,108 men with 2 deployments, a dwell time shorter than the combined deployed time was a risk factor for weight gain during the second deployment. Future studies should explore the combined effects of long deployments and short dwell times in maintaining the readiness of military personnel.