(35) FAT FREE MASS INDEX AND FAT MASS INDEX VALUES IN POLICE CADETS UNDERGOING CADET TRAINING

Purpose: To examine the fat mass index and fat free mass index of cadets going through law enforcement officer training. Methods: 2051 cadets undergoing training were measured throughout their training for body composition via Tanita scanner. Body fat and lean body mass values were recorded and heights measured stadiometer. Data was analyzed for fat free mass index and fat mass index and then analyzed overall and by age groups and gender for descriptive values and an ANOVA examining differences in those values within the genders (alpha was set at < .05 for significance). Results: Overall there were 1409 cadets between 18-29 years old (YO), 474 between 30-39 YO, 140 between 40-49 YO, and 38 that were 50+ YO but only male. The data overall is enclosed in the figure below. There were no significant differences between the age groups in each gender. There was high variability in all metrics for the cadets. Conclusions: Although the BMI of the cadets was overweight on average, the lean body mass was higher with the average body fat being in the normal range for both genders. This fact was observed over each of the age groups as well. The average values observed in this study are considered healthy for long term health, which should not be misconstrued as optimal for athletic performance. Further research examining how these values change over training and then throughout their policing career should be performed as well. Practical Applications: Police cadets undergoing training have higher body weight relative to their height, but a significant amount of that is through lean body mass which is beneficial for performance and long term health. Acknowledgements: The research team would like to thank Cass Sanchez and Catherine Horn for their assistance.