Body composition and physical fitness in a cohort of US military medical students

Abstract

Medical school requires that students balance academic schedules with other lifestyle demands, including nutrition, physical fitness, and wellness. We retrospectively reviewed trends in body composition and physical fitness of a cohort of military medical students attending the Uniformed Services University. Although students were able to maintain muscular endurance and body composition, cardiorespiratory endurance, as measured by a timed 1.5-mile run, declined significantly over a 2-yr period.