open access

Vol 66, No 3 (2015)
Original article
Submitted: 2015-09-22
Accepted: 2015-09-22
Published online: 2015-09-22
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Selected anthropometric indices of maritime university students

Ewa Rębacz-Maron
DOI: 10.5603/IMH.2015.0029
·
Pubmed: 26394314
·
IMH 2015;66(3):145-151.

open access

Vol 66, No 3 (2015)
MARITIME MEDICINE Original article
Submitted: 2015-09-22
Accepted: 2015-09-22
Published online: 2015-09-22

Abstract

Background: Overweight and obesity during working life are becoming an increasingly serious challenge to various professional groups where recruits and personnel must be healthy and fit. Marine recruitment, even at the training stage, should be open to applicants who meet health and fitness criteria. The objective of the study is to determine the overweight and adiposity rates among seafarer candidates (n = 368). Based on anthropometric measurements and somatic indices the extent of obesity among marine students/ /future seafarers was investigated.

Materials and methods: In the groups identified according to the year of study, arithmetic averages (SD — standard deviation) were calculated for somatometric characteristics, and were then used to analyse the phenomena of overweight and obesity. The comparison was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) by ranks.

Results: The highest average body mass index (BMI) score was found in fourth-year students (mean BMI 25.7 ± 2.8). The average BMI for years one and two was in the upper range of ‘healthy’ weight. In 24.0% of first-year students and 32.2% of second-year students, the waist circumference was higher than half of the body height. Body fat percentage results indicate that this feature is highly variable, with a strong upward trend.

Conclusions: Findings regarding overweight among future seamen give cause for concern. The participants of the study were characterised by excessive weight and adiposity. Recruitment criteria for uniformed services are not as restrictive as they used to be, as it is getting increasingly more difficult to find sufficiently slim and fit applicants.

Abstract

Background: Overweight and obesity during working life are becoming an increasingly serious challenge to various professional groups where recruits and personnel must be healthy and fit. Marine recruitment, even at the training stage, should be open to applicants who meet health and fitness criteria. The objective of the study is to determine the overweight and adiposity rates among seafarer candidates (n = 368). Based on anthropometric measurements and somatic indices the extent of obesity among marine students/ /future seafarers was investigated.

Materials and methods: In the groups identified according to the year of study, arithmetic averages (SD — standard deviation) were calculated for somatometric characteristics, and were then used to analyse the phenomena of overweight and obesity. The comparison was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) by ranks.

Results: The highest average body mass index (BMI) score was found in fourth-year students (mean BMI 25.7 ± 2.8). The average BMI for years one and two was in the upper range of ‘healthy’ weight. In 24.0% of first-year students and 32.2% of second-year students, the waist circumference was higher than half of the body height. Body fat percentage results indicate that this feature is highly variable, with a strong upward trend.

Conclusions: Findings regarding overweight among future seamen give cause for concern. The participants of the study were characterised by excessive weight and adiposity. Recruitment criteria for uniformed services are not as restrictive as they used to be, as it is getting increasingly more difficult to find sufficiently slim and fit applicants.

Get Citation

Keywords

body build, seaman, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), Rohrer’s Index, waist circumference (WC), body impedance analysis (BIA)

About this article
Title

Selected anthropometric indices of maritime university students

Journal

International Maritime Health

Issue

Vol 66, No 3 (2015)

Article type

Original article

Pages

145-151

Published online

2015-09-22

Page views

1649

Article views/downloads

2013

DOI

10.5603/IMH.2015.0029

Pubmed

26394314

Bibliographic record

IMH 2015;66(3):145-151.

Keywords

body build
seaman
body mass index (BMI)
waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)
waist-to-height ratio (WHtR)
Rohrer’s Index
waist circumference (WC)
body impedance analysis (BIA)

Authors

Ewa Rębacz-Maron

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