Anthropometric surveillance and obesity prevalence in Armed Force personnel: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among Indian adults is now a recognized health concern. The concern is equally alarming in Armed Forces personnel. Assessment of the prevalence of overweight and obesity in a representative sample of serving Armed Forces personnel and its correlation with age, rank, and abdominal girth was the desired objective. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional point prevalence study was conducted in July 2023 across nine data collection centers. Using a convenient sampling technique, anthropometric data, including height, weight, and abdominal girth at the umbilicus, were collected from 1388 serving personnel. BMI was calculated, and data were stratified by age and rank. Results: Of the 1388 participants, 70.24% were within the normal permissible weight range. The prevalence of overweight and obesity combined was 29.8%, with officers showing the highest rates. Statistically significant correlations were found between body mass index (BMI) and age ( P = 0.024998), as well as abdominal girth and both age ( P < 0.00001) and BMI ( P < 0.00001). Rank-based BMI differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Substantial portions of serving personnel are either overweight or obese, with a clear association to age and abdominal girth. These findings underscore the need for targeted health and fitness interventions to preserve the health of the Armed Forces personnel.