The Impact of Obesity on Back and Core Muscular Endurance in Firefighters
Table 1
Age, physical exercise, obesity, and muscular endurance data of participants stratified by obesity categories.
Total ()
Non-obese (BMI < 30 kg/m2) ()
Obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) ()
value
Age (y)
35.7 ± 9.4
34.1 ± 9.6
39.7 ± 7.7
0.013
Years as career firefighter
9.7 ± 8.9
9.1 ± 9.0
11.2 ± 8.8
0.341
Any exercise (d/wk)
3.2 ± 1.3
3.3 ± 1.3
2.9 ± 1.2
0.139
Body height (cm)
178.2 ± 7.7
177.4 ± 7.0
180.2 ± 9.0
0.130
Body mass (kg)
89.5 ± 14.8
82.9 ± 9.6
105.7 ± 12.7
<0.001
BMI (kg/m2)
28.1 ± 3.7
26.3 ± 2.4
32.5 ± 2.3
<0.001
Body fat (%)
22.5 ± 8.3
19.5 ± 7.2
29.8 ± 6.0
<0.001
Fat mass (kg)
20.9 ± 10.0
16.6 ± 7.3
31.6 ± 7.2
<0.001
Fat-free mass (kg)
68.6 ± 8.5
66.3 ± 6.2
74.2 ± 10.7
0.002
Back muscular endurance(s)
90.5 ± 26.4
98.2 ± 23.0
71.3 ± 24.6
<0.001*
Core muscular endurance(s)
140.2 ± 56.4
151.9 ± 56.6
111.5 ± 45.4
0.001*
Values reported as raw mean ± standard deviation. Statistical comparisons were made between the nonobese and obese groups. Any exercise: self-reported days per week of any physical over the past three months; BMI: body mass index.
*
values after covaring for age.
