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Violanti JM, Ma CC, Fekedulegn D, et al. Associations Between Body Fat Percentage and Fitness among Police Officers: A Statewide Study. Saf Health Work. 2016;8(1):36-41doi: 10.1016/j.shaw.2016.07.004.
Violanti, J. M., Ma, C. C., Fekedulegn, D., Andrew, M. E., Gu, J. K., Hartley, T. A., Charles, L. E., & Burchfiel, C. M. (2017). Associations Between Body Fat Percentage and Fitness among Police Officers: A Statewide Study. Safety and health at work, 8(1), 36-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2016.07.004
Violanti, John M, et al. "Associations Between Body Fat Percentage and Fitness among Police Officers: A Statewide Study." Safety and health at work vol. 8,1 (2017): 36-41. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2016.07.004
Violanti JM, Ma CC, Fekedulegn D, Andrew ME, Gu JK, Hartley TA, Charles LE, Burchfiel CM. Associations Between Body Fat Percentage and Fitness among Police Officers: A Statewide Study. Saf Health Work. 2017 Mar;8(1):36-41. doi: 10.1016/j.shaw.2016.07.004. Epub 2016 Aug 03. PMID: 28344839; PMCID: PMC5355530.
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Saf Health Work. 2017 Mar;8(1):36-41. doi: 10.1016/j.shaw.2016.07.004. Epub 2016 Aug 03.

Associations Between Body Fat Percentage and Fitness among Police Officers: A Statewide Study.

Safety and health at work

John M Violanti, Claudia C Ma, Desta Fekedulegn, Michael E Andrew, Ja K Gu, Tara A Hartley, Luenda E Charles, Cecil M Burchfiel

Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology & Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
  2. Biostatistics and Epidemiology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV, USA.

PMID: 28344839 PMCID: PMC5355530 DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2016.07.004

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Police work is generally sedentary although there may be situations that require physical endurance and strength, such as foot chases and arresting suspects. Factors such as excessive body fat can impede an officer's physical ability to deal with such occurrences. Our objective was to examine associations between officers' body fat percentage (BF%) and performance on a standardized fitness protocol.

METHODS: Data were obtained from fitness screening among 1,826 male and 115 female officers in a large US police agency. The screening consisted of a 2.4-km run, push-ups, sit-ups, and sit-and-reach test. Sex-specific body fat percentages were estimated from skinfold thickness measured using calipers. Linear regression models were used to examine unadjusted and adjusted mean scores of fitness tests across BF% tertiles.

RESULTS: The prevalence of overall fitness was 4.3 times greater in male officers and 3.6 times greater in female officers having the lowest BF% tertile compared with the highest tertile (30.3% vs 7.1% and 46.0% vs 12.8%, respectively). BF% was linearly and positively associated with the time of 2.4-km run (

CONCLUSION: Overall, BF% was inversely associated with fitness levels in male and female officers. Future longitudinal studies should be initiated to explore the potentially causal relationship between BF% and fitness in law enforcement officers.

Keywords: body fat; fitness; police; sex

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