Changes in Body Composition of Soldiers during Paratrooper Training,

The body composition of twelve soldiers was studied before and after a strenuous three-week paratrooper training course. Mean body weight decreased by 0.6 kg. Total body water increased by 1.55 liters on the average. Extracellular fluid showed no significant change. As calculated from these hydrometric measurements, cell mass increased significantly and body fat decreased significantly. The thickness of the skinfolds decreased significantly at most of the sites measured. There was a small but statistically significant increase in body density as determined by underwater weighing. Oxygen consumption showed a small increase commensurate with the increase in cell mass. It is concluded that over a period as short as three weeks it was possible to detect significant changes in body composition of men undergoring strenuous physical training even though the subjects were in a good state of physical training initially. Autor