Low Fitness Tied to Mental-Health Disorders Among Young Male Conscripts
A Tampere University doctoral study found conscripts who interrupted military service due to mental-health disorders had significantly lower endurance and muscle strength, running about 170 metres less on the Cooper test than peers who completed service.
Tamperelainen reports that a Tampere University doctoral study found conscripts who interrupted military service because of mental-health disorders had notably lower endurance and muscle strength. They ran about 170 metres less on the Cooper test than those who completed their service. The results echo earlier coverage linking poor fitness in young men to higher rates of depression, anxiety and ADHD.
The study analysed data covering more than 200,000 young men and found that the COVID-19 pandemic coincided with small but widespread increases in weight and waist circumference. In 2021 average weight was 0.7 kg higher and waist circumference 0.4 cm larger than before the pandemic, while the share of men classified as overweight by waist measurement rose 1.7 percentage points and waist obesity increased by 0.7 points. During military service the average waist measurement fell by 2 cm and Cooper test results improved by 60 metres. The most unfit and heaviest men gained the most: Cooper scores improved by up to 300 metres and waist circumference dropped nearly 8 cm in some cases.
Tuomas Tenkanen, the study's researcher, says the structured daily physical activity of conscription appears to benefit those at highest risk. He suggests schools and workplaces could emulate it by breaking up long sitting periods, encouraging active school commutes, offering walking meetings and paid time for exercise, and making healthier food choices more available and affordable. Tenkanen defends his doctoral thesis at Tampere University on Friday 25 September.
Earlier coverage
Catch the full story over at Tamperelainen
