Energy Expenditure of Women During Basic Military Training: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis of Gold Standard...

Basic military training (BMT) is the initial phase of transitioning from civilian to military life, involving significant physical and psychological demands. Increasingly, women are performing operational military tasks, but face specific challenges, including reduced energy availability driven by high training loads and insufficient caloric intake, potentially compromising hormonal regulation and bone health. Understanding the energy expenditure of women during this period is crucial for effective training program planning and performance optimization. This systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to identify the energy expenditure of women during basic military training.

This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines 2020. A comprehensive search was performed in April 2024 and updated in January 2026, across multiple scientific databases, with no date or language filters, using the descriptors "energy expenditure" and "military." After applying eligibility criteria, 3,413 studies were found, and 9 studies with 19 results were included in the meta-analysis.

The findings showed that the average energy expenditure of 136 women was 3,446.09 (95% CI = 3,208.45-3,683.72) kcal/day. The high inconsistency between studies (I2 = 97.84%; Q = 474.90; P < .001) was partially explained by sensitivity analyses, revealing a significant difference between studies with field-based or mixed activities: 4,038.71 (95% CI = 3,416.03-4,661.39) kcal/day, compared to indoor-based activities only: 3,254.01 (95% CI = 3,098.66-3,409.36) kcal/day.

These findings may inform training design and meal logistics and contribute to improved physical and operational performance of women during the BMT period. However, the evidence certainty was very low due to substantial heterogeneity among studies, requiring careful interpretation. This study highlights the need for future research focusing on context-specific energy demands and activity characteristics, particularly regarding adequate caloric intake during BMT.