Uniformed Services University, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, 6720A Rockledge Dr, Bethesda, MD, 20817, USA.
BMC Public Health. 2024 Aug 22;24(1):2289. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-19699-w.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the daily life and routines of Americans across the United States (U.S.), including those of our active-duty service members (ADSMs). Limited movement orders enacted during this time to promote social distancing prohibited access to fitness and dining facilities for ADSMs. This study aims to expand on previous work identifying changes in body mass index (BMI) among U.S. Army service members by identifying changes in body mass index (BMI) among active-duty service members from both the Navy and Marine Corps during the same time period.
We conducted a retrospective cohort study of active-duty service members from the Navy and Marine Corps using data from the Military Health System Data Repository. BMI was calculated and categorized according to CDC guidelines both before (February 2019 - January 2020) and during the pandemic (September 2020 - June 2021). Women who were pregnant or delivered during and one year prior to the study periods were excluded. Statistical analyses included paired t-tests evaluating mean BMI, percent change, and the Stuart-Maxwell test for marginal homogeneity.
We identified 98,330 active-duty Sailors and 55,298 active-duty Marines for inclusion in this study. During the pandemic period the percentage of Sailors with Underweight decreased by 11%, Healthy weight decreased by 11.1%, Overweight increased by 2.1%, and the percentage of Sailors with Obesity increased by 16.5%. During this same time period, Marines with Underweight decreased by 1%, Healthy weight decreased by 16%, Overweight increased by 3.0%, and Marines with Obesity increased by 51%. The largest increases in service members with overweight and obesity observed among both cohorts were among female service members, service members under age 20, and service members with a Junior Enlisted rank.
Significant increases in obesity were observed amongst active-duty United States Navy and Marine Corps service members during DoD pandemic mitigation efforts. Increased rates of obesity likely effected fitness and force readiness. Future interventions should be targeted at younger, Junior-Enlisted Marines and Sailors to promote healthy lifestyles and provide education on nutrition, appropriate exercise, sleep hygiene, and stress management.
COVID-19 大流行扰乱了全美国美国人的日常生活和常规，包括现役军人（ADSM）。为促进社交距离而在此期间颁布的有限行动命令禁止 ADSM 进入健身和餐饮设施。这项研究旨在通过确定同一时期海军和海军陆战队现役军人的体重指数（BMI）变化来扩展以前确定美国陆军军人 BMI 变化的工作。
我们使用来自军事卫生系统数据存储库的数据，对海军和海军陆战队的现役军人进行了回顾性队列研究。根据疾病预防控制中心的指导方针，在研究期间（2019 年 2 月至 2020 年 1 月）和大流行期间（2020 年 9 月至 2021 年 6 月）计算并分类 BMI。在研究期间和前一年怀孕或分娩的女性被排除在外。统计分析包括评估平均 BMI、百分比变化的配对 t 检验和斯图尔特-马克斯韦尔检验边际同质性。
我们确定了 98330 名现役水手和 55298 名现役海军陆战队员参加了这项研究。在大流行期间，体重不足的水手比例下降了 11%，健康体重下降了 11.1%，超重增加了 2.1%，肥胖的水手比例增加了 16.5%。在此期间，体重不足的海军陆战队员减少了 1%，健康体重下降了 16%，超重增加了 3.0%，肥胖的海军陆战队员增加了 51%。在这两个队列中，超重和肥胖现役军人比例增加最大的是女性现役军人、20 岁以下现役军人和初级入伍现役军人。
在国防部减轻大流行影响的努力中，美国海军和海军陆战队现役军人的肥胖率显著增加。肥胖率的增加可能影响了健身和部队战备能力。未来的干预措施应针对年轻的初级入伍的海军陆战队员和水手，以促进健康的生活方式，并提供营养、适当运动、睡眠卫生和压力管理方面的教育。
