title: Analysis of the change of health status among the republic of Korea air force soldiers during military service.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate whether the health status of Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) soldiers changed after one year of military service.
  
  
  METHODS
  We selected 483 ROKAF soldiers from the 11 749 recruits who participated in the 2011 physical examination. The selected soldiers underwent another physical examination in 2012 for advancement to senior airman. Data from 2011 and 2012 were merged. To collect data on lifestyle, a questionnaire was sent to all included subjects via the military intranet e-mail service.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of recruits with an abnormal alanine transaminase level (normal range <40 IU/L) decreased from recruitment (13.7%) to the following year (2.7%). Moreover, the percentage of obese soldiers (body mass index ≥25 kg/m(2)) decreased from recruitment (20.5%) to the following year (10.4%). There was a significant change in mean duration of exercise carried out each day before (0.8±1.3 hours) and after (1.0±0.7 hours) joining the ROKAF service.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These ROKAF soldiers were generally in good health before and after joining the armed service. After one year of military service, the health status of most soldiers improved, especially with respect to body mass index and alanine transaminase level.
  
  
  
  The aim of this study was to investigate whether the health status of Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) soldiers changed after one year of military service.
  
  
  
  We selected 483 ROKAF soldiers from the 11 749 recruits who participated in the 2011 physical examination. The selected soldiers underwent another physical examination in 2012 for advancement to senior airman. Data from 2011 and 2012 were merged. To collect data on lifestyle, a questionnaire was sent to all included subjects via the military intranet e-mail service.
  
  
  
  The percentage of recruits with an abnormal alanine transaminase level (normal range <40 IU/L) decreased from recruitment (13.7%) to the following year (2.7%). Moreover, the percentage of obese soldiers (body mass index ≥25 kg/m2) decreased from recruitment (20.5%) to the following year (10.4%). There was a significant change in mean duration of exercise carried out each day before (0.8±1.3 hours) and after (1.0±0.7 hours) joining the ROKAF service.
  
  
  
  These ROKAF soldiers were generally in good health before and after joining the armed service. After one year of military service, the health status of most soldiers improved, especially with respect to body mass index and alanine transaminase level.
authors.affiliation: Aerospace Medical Center, Republic of Korea Air Force, Cheongju, Korea ; Department of Preventive Medicine, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Seok-Ju
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: Aerospace Medical Center, Republic of Korea Air Force, Cheongju, Korea ; Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Korea.
authors.forename: Won-Ju
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Kwan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Sul
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Aerospace Medical Center, Republic of Korea Air Force, Cheongju, Korea ; Department of Family Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Aerospace Medical Center, Republic of Korea Air Force, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Suk-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D044466:Asian People; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015444:Exercise; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008019:Life Style; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: Alanine transaminase; Body mass index; Life style; Military personnel