Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2007
Publication Source
Military Medicine
Abstract
Recent research findings combined with the theoretical laws of biological similarity make the compelling case that all physical fitness test items for the Army, Air Force, and Navy impose a 15-20% physiologic bias against heavier, not fatter, men and women. Using the published findings that actual scores of muscle and aerobic endurance scale by body mass raised to the 1/3 power, correction factor tables were developed. This correction factor can be multiplied by one’s actual score (e.g., push-ups, sit-ups, abdominal crunches, or curl-ups repetitions or distance run time) to yield adjusted scores that are free of body mass bias. These adjusted scores eliminate this bias, become better overall indicators of physical fitness relevant to military tasks, are easily applied to the scoring tables used in the present physical fitness tests, and do not reward body fatness. Use of these correction factors should be explored by all military services to contribute to more relevant fitness tests.
Inclusive pages
738-742
ISBN/ISSN
0026-4075
Document Version
Postprint
Copyright
Copyright © 2007, Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S. All rights reserved.
Publisher
AMSUS: Society of Federal Health Professionals
Volume
172
Issue
7
Peer Reviewed
yes
eCommons Citation
Vanderburgh, Paul M., "Correction Factors for Body Mass in Military Physical Fitness Tests" (2007). Health and Sport Science Faculty Publications. 28.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/hss_fac_pub/28
Comments
The document available for download is the author's accepted manuscript, provided in compliance with the publisher's policy on self-archiving. The version of record is available using the DOI provided.
Permission documentation is on file.