Social SciencesHuman DevelopmentHuman NutritionObesity PreventionWomen's HealthAdipose TissueAnthropometric VariationBody CompositionBody Composition ChangesSex Differences In HealthAge CategoriesBody Composition MeasurementBody Condition IndexBody Fat PercentageFit CriteriaIncreased AdipositySex Differences In Obesity
The study aimed to characterize height, weight, and percent body fat of 17‑35‑year‑old Army recruits and identify an adiposity index suitable for Army screening, proposing its use to replace or supplement existing height‑weight charts. Height and weight were measured with a digital scale and anthropometer, percent body fat calculated from four skinfolds, and participants were grouped into four age categories. Height varied little with age, while weight and percent body fat rose with age in men but not in the youngest women; the weight‑to‑height squared ratio best predicted %BF in men (r = 0.75, SE ± 3.4 %) and the weight‑to‑height 1.5 power ratio best in women (r = 0.69, SE ± 3.2 %), and a prediction table was supplied.
The purpose of this investigation was to describe the height (H), weight (W), and percent body fat (%BF) of young men and women (ages 17-35 years) entering the U.S. Army and to determine an index of adiposity that fit criteria described in the literature. H and W were measured with a digital scale and anthropometer, respectively. %BF was calculated from four skinfolds thickness. Men and women were both separated into four age categories. Very little difference in H was found with increasing age. W and %BF increased progressively with age in the males but no increase in either parameter was seen within the three youngest age groups of women. For males, W/H2 was found to be the most appropriate index of adiposity of those studied, having a correlation with %BF of 0.75 and a standard error of estimate of +/- 3.4 %BF. W/H1.5 was the most appropriate index for females, having a correlation with %BF of 0.69 and a standard error of estimate of +/- 3.2 %BF. It was suggested that these indices could be used to replace or supplement the current H-W charts used in the Army. A table for predicting %BF from these indices has been provided.