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Temporal Changes in the Physical Fitness of US Army Recruits

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Abstract

This article defines physical fitness and then reviews the literature on temporal trends in the physical fitness of new US Army recruits. Nineteen papers were found that met the review criteria and had published recruit fitness data from 1975 to 2003. The limited data on recruit muscle strength suggested an increase from 1978 to 1998 (20-year period). Data on push-ups and sit-ups suggested no change in muscular endurance between 1984 and 2003 (19-year period). Limited data suggested that maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max) [mL/kg/min] of male recruits did not change from 1975 to 1998 (23-year period), while there was some indication of a small increase in female recruit V̇O2max in the same period. On the other hand, slower times on 1-mile (1.6km) and 2-mile (3.2km) runs indicate declines in aerobic performance from 1987 to 2003 (16-year period). The apparent discrepancy between the V̇O2max and endurance running data may indicate that recruits are not as proficient at applying their aerobic capability to performance tasks, such as timed runs, possibly because of factors such as increased bodyweight, reduced experience with running, lower motivation and/or environmental factors. Recruit height, weight and body mass index have progressively increased between 1978 and 2003 (25-year period). Both the body fat and fat-free mass of male recruits increased from 1978 to 1998 (20-year period); however, body composition data on female recruits did not show a consistent trend. In this same time period, the literature contained little data on youth physical activity but there was some suggestion that caloric consumption increased. This article indicates that temporal trends in recruit fitness differ depending on the fitness component measured. The very limited comparable data on civilian populations showed trends similar to the recruit data.

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  1. The use of trade names is for product identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

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Acknowledgements

The views, opinions and/or findings contained in this report are those of the authors and should not be construed as official Department of the Army position, policy or decision, unless so designated by other official documentation.

Citations of commercial organisations and trade names in this report do not constitute an official Department of the Army endorsement or approval of the products or services of these organisations.

This publication has been approved by the US military for public release; distribution is unlimited.

No sources of funding were used to assist in the preparation of this review. The authors have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this review. The authors would like to thank Ms Stephanie Morrison for the technical review of this paper and Ms Jeanette England for the editorial review.

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  1. US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, 21010-5403, USA

    Joseph J. Knapik (Directorate of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance), Keith G. Hauret & Bruce H. Jones

  2. US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, Massachusetts, USA

    Marilyn A. Sharp

  3. Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA

    Salima Darakjy & Sarah B. Jones

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  1. Joseph J. Knapik
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  2. Marilyn A. Sharp
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  3. Salima Darakjy
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  4. Sarah B. Jones
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  5. Keith G. Hauret
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  6. Bruce H. Jones
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Correspondence to Joseph J. Knapik.

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Knapik, J.J., Sharp, M.A., Darakjy, S. et al. Temporal Changes in the Physical Fitness of US Army Recruits. Sports Med 36, 613–634 (2006). https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200636070-00005

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200636070-00005

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