Study evaluates waist size for fitness assessments Published April 21, 2011 By Steve Pivnick 81st Medical Group Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The 81st Medical Group Clinical Research Laboratory has begun a new research study. According to Capt. (Dr.) Andrew Hall, 81st Surgical Operations Squadron and currently in fellowship training at the 81st Medical Support Squadron facility, "The purpose of the study is to evaluate the accuracy of waist measurement in the Air Force physical fitness assessment to determine body composition and physical fitness." The study is being conducted under an Air Force medical research program grant of nearly $60,000 awarded to Dr. Hall. The CRL is actively recruiting 10 male and 10 female active-duty Air Force personnel between the ages of 18-55 in each physical fitness age bracket to participate. It involves a waist measurement, computed tomography scan and either a Bod Pod evaluation at the health and wellness center or a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scan of the pelvis in the hospital radiology department. The study is done on Tuesdays and the entire process should take about an hour. Dr. Hall explained the DEXA scan is frequently used to measure bone density, but can also accurately measure a patient's percent of body fat. Using the CT scan enables "taking a cross-sectional image of the body at the waist that hopefully will allow investigators to determine if a majority of waist circumference is due to unchangeable factors such as pelvic width and muscles and not necessarily fat." He added, "The objective is to evaluate waist measurement for the Air Force physical fitness assessment. The study will help determine if waist measurement is an accurate method for assessing physical fitness and if other methods would be more suitable." Active-duty Air Force members interested in participating call 376-4352 or 3472.