What is Fit? The Misconception of Fitness and Fatness: A Review of Body Composition Standards and Physical Readiness Policy Alternatives for the U.S. Navy

Abstract

This thesis utilizes Eugene Bardach’s eight-step method from A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis toanalyze the Navy’s height-weight standards and policies that affect physical fitness performance. It discusses the history of the height-weight standards and the Navy policy changes to the physical readiness program, compares the Navy to other services, and proposes four alternative adaptations to the policy. The first option is to maintain status quo and continue to use height-weight standards based on the body mass index. The second option is to allow body composition assessment failures to complete the physical readiness test (PRT) and exempt height-weight standards for service members with an overall outstanding PRT score. The third option is to add an additional test to assess attributes of fitness. The fourth option is to eliminate weight standards, increase fitness standards for passing, and focus on physical fitness vice body composition analysis. The purpose of this research is to provide a policy review of the United States Navy body composition program, with a specific analysis of the policy change of NAVADMIN 141/17 that allowed for validation of the PRT. Using data from the Army’s Person- Event Data Environment, the research shows that adopting a policy that incentivizes physical performance is the most ideal policy change.