Assessment of the Body Composition and Bone Calcification of Students of Police Schools and Police Training Centers in Poland—A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

The 21st century is considered the age of malnutrition resulting in the unprecedented frequency of civilization diseases. Among these disorders, obesity is particularly distinguished and considered an epidemic-scale disease. For this reason, conducting studies on obesity and counteracting this phenomenon is essential. Research from recent years indicates a problem of excessive body weight among officers of uniformed services, who should be characterized by good health and fitness level due to the specificity of the work. As the problem of obesity affects every fourth Pole, research in uniformed services seems to be essential from health and national security perspectives. The presented study aimed to determine the elements of nutritional status in 289 students of Polish police schools and police training centers. Body composition was determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis, and bone calcification assessment was conducted by the DXA densitometric method. Based on BMI and body fat content, body weight disorders were found in 31.8% of all examined students. Densitometric test results showed changes in bone calcification of varying severity in 26.6% of the total number of respondents. The presence of obesity in students of police schools and training centers proves that the present nutrition model is energetically unbalanced, while the demonstrated disorders of bone calcification indicate an improper condition of mineral nutrition.