Despite Low Obesity Rates, Body Mass Index Under-Estimated Obesity among Russian Police Officers When Compared to Body Fat Percentage

Katie M. Heinrich, Konstantin G. Gurevich, Anna N. Arkhangelskaia, Oleg P. Karazhelyaskov and Walker S. C. Poston
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Katie M. Heinrich: Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
Konstantin G. Gurevich: Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry (MSUMD), Moscow 127473, Russia
Anna N. Arkhangelskaia: Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry (MSUMD), Moscow 127473, Russia
Oleg P. Karazhelyaskov: Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry (MSUMD), Moscow 127473, Russia
Walker S. C. Poston: NDRI-USA, New York, NY 10001, USA

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-7

Abstract: In some countries, obesity rates among police officers are higher than the general public, despite physically demanding jobs. Obesity rates based on body mass index (BMI) may lack accuracy as BMI does not directly address body composition. Since data are lacking for obesity rates among Russian police officers, this study documented and compared officer obesity rates to the adult Russian population and compared the accuracy of body mass index (BMI) for obesity classification to two direct measures of body composition. Moscow region police officers ( N = 182, 84% men) underwent height, weight, waist circumference (WC), and body fat percentage (BF%) bioelectrical impedance measurements during annual medical examinations. BMI-defined obesity rates were 4.6% for men and 17.2% for women, which were >3 and >1.8 times lower than Russian adults, respectively. WC-defined obesity rates were similar to BMI (3.3% for men and 10.3% for women), but BF%-defined obesity rates were much higher (22.2% for men and 55.2% for women). Although obesity rates were lower than those found among police officers in other countries, BMI alone was not a particularly accurate method for classifying weight status among Russian police officers.

Keywords: bioelectrical impedance; body composition; first responders; law enforcement officers; waist circumference (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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