Since performance in police occupations may depend on body composition and physical abilities, women are less likely to become police officers. However, information on age-related differences in body composition among female police officers (FPO) barely exists. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the association between age and body composition in FPO. Body composition of 95 FPO was assessed and divided into 4 age groups: 21-25 (age = 23.58 ± 0.84 years, body height [BH] = 1.61 ± 0.04 m, body mass [BM] = 65.55 ± 12.59 kg); 26-30 (age = 28.24 ± 1.20 years, BH = 1.61 ± 0.04 m, BM = 72.08 ± 12.80 kg); 31-35 (age = 32.73 ± 1.59 years, BH = 1.62 ± 0.06 m, BM = 74.88 ± 12.22 kg); and 36-40 (age = 37.71 ± 1.40 years, BH = 1.61 ± 0.08 cm, BM = 77.38 ± 11.61 kg). Eight body composition characteristics were measured using bioelectrical impedance (InBody 720): BM, body mass index (BMI), fat mass index (FMI), fat mass (FM), trunk fat mass (TFM), percent body fat mass (PBF), skeletal muscle mass (SMM), and percent skeletal muscle mass (PSMM). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) with Bonferroni post-hoc test (p<0.05) and Cohen’s effect size (ES) were used to determine significant differences in anthropometric variables by age. Statistically significant differences occurred in BM (F = 3.412, p = 0.021), BMI (F = 3.662, p = 0.015), FM (F = 3.411, p = 0.021) and FMI (F = 3.479, p = 0.019). A large inverse ES occurred in trend of age-related differences in PBF and PSMM. The BM is higher relative to age due to FM, which may cause a decrease in PSMM. The most critical period seems to be between 30-35 years.
KEY WORDS: Body mass; Body fat; Muscle; Body changes.
