Demanda metabólica das atividades de militares da Marinha do Brasil

Abstract

The reduced levels of physical activity of individuals and the consequent reduction of their daily energy expenditures have been playing an important risk factor associated with the occurrence of various diseases. To identify the main usual activities of the occupational and physical fitness routines of militaries from the Physical Education Center Admiral Adalberto Nunes of the Brazilian Navy (CEFAN) and to estimate the metabolic demand (MD) of these activities according to the different hierarchical circles; (2) to analyze the relation between work intensity (WI) and cardiorespiratory power (CP) of militaries from CEFAN. One hundred and sixty one militaries (n = 149 M and 12 F) aged 19 to 47 years (30.6 ± 7.8 years) were stratified into three different groups: sailors, soldiers and corporals (G1), sergeant and petty officers (G2) and officers (G3). The MD estimate was performed through a list of activities adapted from the Compendium of Physical Activities. The WI was determined through the metabolic demand (MD) of the their occupational routine activities. MD was estimated through the use of a questionnaire (available online) that contained a set of activities listed in the Compendium of Physical Activities in which the militaries indicated the labor tasks included in their routines. Information about the CP were obtained from the report of the 2010 physical assessment test of the CEFAN (PAT) and then analyzed with the MD of the occupational activities for determining the relative WI. Were used for the analysis, the CP of the same militaries whose MD was estimated in study 1. The conditioning activities were classified as moderate (5.8 and 5.9 MET), for G2 and G3, respectively, and vigorous (6.1 METs\), for G1. The activities of the occupational routines were also classified as moderate (2.7 to 3.8 MET). Significant differences were observed among the means of the MD for the occupational routines of the three different groups. There was an inverse relationship between the MD of the activities of the occupational routine and the military career advancing. In conditioning activities, the reduction of MD was related to the age but not necessarily to the military ranks. The WI of the militaries from CEFAN is adequate to their values of CP. The G3 presented lower WI and CP values when compared to those reported for the other groups. However, its relative work intensity (%WI) values were similar to those described for G1 and G2. It was concluded that advancing military career leads to a more sedentary occupational routine. Moreover, the smallest CP of the highest hierarchical circles indicates a reduction of physical condition with the progression of military career. Groups whose occupational activities represent less physically demanding, have, in turn, lower rates of CP, which may contribute to a increased risk of developing hypokinesia-induced diseases