{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]],"date-time":"2026-03-24T12:31:09Z","timestamp":1774355469265,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]],"date-time":"2026-03-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774310400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/pages\/standard-publication-reuse-rights"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The aim of this study was to investigate whether physical fitness and body mass index (BMI) are associated with premature discharge from military service because of health reasons.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Materials and Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The data was collected using a cross-sectional design and included the fitness test results and background information of Finnish conscripts (n\u2009=\u2009228, 125) from 2012 to 2021. The physical fitness measures included a 12-minute running test, standing long jump, sit-up, and push-up tests. The BMI was calculated based on height and weight.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Conscripts in any of the lowest quartile of physical fitness were more likely to be discharged from their service compared to those in the highest quartiles (12-minute running test odds ratio (OR) 1.99; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.88\u20132.11; standing long jump OR 1.45; 95% CI 1.38-1.53; sit-up test OR 1.46; 95% CI 1.38\u20131.54; and push-up test OR 1.50; 95% CI 1.42\u20131.59). The likelihood of being discharged from military service was higher among underweight (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.22\u20131.50) and obese conscripts (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.23\u20131.42) compared to normal weight conscripts. The most significant predictors for being discharged from service, found using backward elimination regression, were the 12-minute running test performance and BMI. The highest risk of being discharged from service was found to be among underweight conscripts with poor fitness.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Physical fitness and BMI were both associated with discharge from military service. Both under and overweight conscripts and those with poor physical fitness had a higher probability of being discharged from service. Therefore, the use of pre- and in service modifications to improve physical fitness and BMI could save resources for the Defence Forces and society as a whole.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1093\/milmed\/usag139","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]],"date-time":"2026-03-24T11:39:36Z","timestamp":1774352376000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Association of Physical Fitness and Body Mass Index with Premature Discharge from Military Service\u2014Study among 228,000 Conscripts"],"prefix":"10.1093","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-2059-6621","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tuomas","family":"Honkanen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Military Medicine, Finnish Defence Forces , Helsinki, 00301,","place":["Finland"]},{"name":"Department of Military Pedagogy and Leadership, National Defence University , Helsinki, 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