Healthy Eating Score-7 as a Measure of Diet Quality in a Military Population.

OBJECTIVE: Identify potential revisions to the Healthy Eating Score (HES-5) that improve associations with the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) -2015 total and component scores. METHODS: Pearson r correlations were determined from soldiers' (n = 433) survey data, including the HES, proposed additional questions, and the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire. RESULTS: Adding sugar-sweetened beverages and energy drink questions (HES-7) strengthened the HES and HEI-2015 correlation (HES-5; r = 0.42, n = 433, r2 = 0.18, P < 0.001) (HES-7; r = 0.52, r2 = 0.27, P < 0.001). The HES components and Block Food Frequency Questionnaire consumption correlations were as follows: quantity of fruit (r = 0.37, r2 = 0.14, P < 0.001), vegetables (r = 0.41, r2 = 0.17, P < 0.001), whole grains (r = 0.35, r2 = 0.12 P < 0.001), dairy (r = 0.34, r2 = 0.12, P < 0.001), fish (r = 0.31, r2 = 0.10, P < 0.001), and energy drink (r = 0.59, r2 = 0.35, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: HES-7 had the strongest correlation with HEI-2015. Future studies can explore if including consumption quantity in the HES improves its representation of diet quality.

Exceeding body composition standards is associated with a more negative body image and increased weight cycling in active duty U.S. soldiers.

Negative body image is more often identified in individuals with overweight or obesity. More than 65% of U.S. soldiers have a body mass index (BMI) that classifies them with overweight or obesity. Additionally, all soldiers must meet body composition and physical fitness standards which may increase the risk of negative body image. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify associations between compliance with body composition standards, body image, and weight cycling through surveying 969 active-duty soldiers (86% male, 24.0 ± 5.5 years of age, BMI 26.0 ± 3.6 kg/m2). Compliance with body composition standards was measured by whether a soldier had ever taken and failed the circumference-based body fat assessment. Weight cycling was self-reported as ≥3 weight fluctuations of ≥5% of body weight during their military career. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between compliance with body composition standards, body image, weight cycling, and sociodemographic characteristics while controlling for BMI. Failing the circumference-based body fat assessment was associated with increased concern with conforming to military image. Negative body image was associated with higher odds of weight cycling. Further examination is warranted to understand the effects of body composition standards on soldiers' body image and weight cycling.

Body weight status, perceived stress, and emotional eating among US Army Soldiers: A mediator model.

BACKGROUND: In civilians, overweight and obesity are associated with emotional eating behaviors such as eating in response to stress, but this association has not been examined in Soldiers, a population with unique stressors. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between perceived stress (PS), emotional eating (EE), and outcomes of body mass index (BMI), and failing Army body composition (BC) standards among Soldiers. METHODS: Soldiers (N = 1460, 83% male, 23.5 ±â€¯5.2 years old) completed validated surveys on PS, EE, and adherence with military BC standards. Conditional process models and mediation models tested gender as a moderator and EE as a mediator of associations between PS and BMI and PS and BC failure, respectively. RESULTS: Higher PS was associated with more frequent self-reported EE behaviors (p < 0.001), higher BMI (p < 0.001), and BC failure (p < 0.001). BMI significantly increased with frequency of reported EE behaviors (p < 0.001). Gender was not a statistically significant moderator in the relationship between PS, EE, and, BMI (p = 0.83) or BC failure (p = 0.57). PS appears to affect BMI indirectly through EE behaviors (c' = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.04). PS may affect BC failure directly (c' = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.08) and indirectly (ab = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.03) through EE as a mediator. CONCLUSIONS: EE behaviors may mediate the positive association between PS, BMI, and BC failure. Prospective investigation is warranted to better understand the role of EE in health-related outcomes among Soldiers and populations in high stress professions.