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Obesity in the UK Armed Forces: risk factors
Josefin Sundin1, Nicola T Fear, Simon Wessely
1Academic Centre for Defence Mental Health, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, Weston Education Centre, 10 Cutcombe Road, London SE5 9RJ, UK.
Objective:
To assess the risk factors of obesity in terms of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference in the UK Armed Forces.
Methods:
A quota sample from all UK services, of 2,448 men and 311 women aged 17-55 years.
Results:
The risk ratios for those with a BMI 227.5 kg/m2 and waist circumference 294 cm in men were 0.21 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13-0.34) for non-whites compared to whites, 0.55 (95% CI, 0.38-0.78) for commissioned officers compared to lower ranks, and 0.13 (95% CI, 0.06-0.31) for Royal Marines compared to the Army, but increased with age, 58.2 (95% CI, 19.6-172.7). Risk ratios were usually nonsignificant between service-demographic factors for BMI > or = 27.5 kg/m2 and waist circumference < 94 cm.
Conclusions:
The risk of obesity is highest in the Army and Royal Navy, whites, lower ranks, and older ages. BMI and waist circumference should be used together as measures of obesity.
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