Generolo Jono Žemaičio Lietuvos karo akademija

This longitudinal study examined sex‑specific changes in body composition across the first academic year in military university students using multi‑frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (InBody 970). A total of 497 cadets (408 men, 89 women) were assessed at baseline and follow‑up. In both sexes, body mass increased primarily due to gains in fat‑free mass and skeletal muscle mass, accompanied by higher total body water and basal metabolic rate, while changes in adiposity indicators were small. Men exhibited greater increases in lean‑related parameters, whereas women showed a modest reduction in percent body fat. These findings support MF‑BIA as a practical tool for large‑scale monitoring of functional and medical readiness in military populations.

Physical fitness is a key element of military readiness. This study compared performance in the 12-minute run and upper-body strength tests between University of Defence students and active-duty soldiers from Land Forces, Air Forces, and the Airborne Regiment (data 2023–2025, age 20–30 years). University of Defence students significantly outperformed Land Forces and Air Forces personnel in the 12-minute run in both sexes. In upper-body strength, students achieved comparable or slightly better results than Land and Air Forces. The Airborne Regiment remained a distinct elite group, recording the highest performance in all disciplines. Performance was highly stable across the three-year period. The results indicate that military university students demonstrate physical fitness levels comparable to or exceeding those of regular active-duty soldiers, while still falling short of the standards of the Airborne Regiment.