Age-Related Body Composition Differences in Female Police Officers

Gender in the police force has received scant attention by researchers, although there are complex social dimensions at play in how male and female law enforcement officers relate to each other in the workplace. Given the fact that males predominate in the police force, their female counterparts are often marginalised due to their sexual orientation and certain stereotypes that prevail about their femininity. Male officers perceive female officers as physically weak individuals who cannot go about their duties as this is an area of work deemed more appropriate to men. Based on this perception, female officers are discriminated against in active policing and often confined to administrative duties. This study looks at how female police officers are discriminated against in the global police culture across the globe, the logic of sexism and women’s threat to police work, men’s opposition to female police work, gender representivity in the police force, and the integration and transformation of the South African Police Service to accommodate female police officers. The study highlights that although police officers are discriminated against globally, in the South African context positive steps have been taken to accommodate them through legislative reform.

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Effect of Self-reported Height on Occupational Rank Among Police Officers: Especially for Women it Pays to be Tall

Evolutionary Psychological Science ◽

10.1007/s40806-021-00281-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Abraham P. Buunk ◽

Gert Stulp ◽

Wilmar B. Schaufeli

Keyword(s):

Sexual Selection ◽

The Netherlands ◽

Police Officers ◽

Educational Level ◽

Leadership Positions ◽

Male And Female ◽

Similar Percentage ◽

Average Population ◽

Female Police Officers

AbstractThis study among 725 male and 247 female police officers from The Netherlands examined the association between self-reported height and occupational rank from the perspective of sexual selection. Male and female police officers were taller than the average population. A larger percentage of women than of men was found in the lowest ranks, but in the leadership positions, there was a similar percentage of women as of men. Overall, but especially among women, height was linearly associated with occupational rank: the taller one was, the higher one’s rank. These effects were independent of educational level and age. The implications for evolutionary theorizing from the perspective of sexual selection on the effect of tallness on status and dominance among women are discussed.

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Occupational stress and burnout between male and female police officers

Policing An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management ◽

10.1108/13639510710833938 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 672-691 ◽

Cited By ~ 86

Author(s):

William P. McCarty ◽

Jihong “Solomon” Zhao ◽

Brett E. Garland

Keyword(s):

Occupational Stress ◽

Police Officers ◽

Male And Female ◽

Female Police Officers

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Age-related disparate shifts in the anorexic and hyperthermic effects of cholecystokinin (Cck): The influence of body composition

Experimental Gerontology ◽

10.1016/j.exger.2013.05.039 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 48 (7) ◽

pp. 694-695

Author(s):

Erika Petervari ◽

Nora Furedi ◽

Alexandra Miko ◽

Gesine Anne Ingrid Heppeler ◽

Margit Gaspar-Koncsecsko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Composition ◽

Age Related

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Age-Related Decline in Vertical Jumping Performance in Masters Track and Field Athletes: Concomitant Influence of Body Composition

Frontiers in Physiology ◽

10.3389/fphys.2021.643649 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

José R. Alvero-Cruz ◽

Mieszko Brikis ◽

Phil Chilibeck ◽

Petra Frings-Meuthen ◽

Jose F. Vico Guzmán ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Composition ◽

Old Age ◽

Phase Angle ◽

Vertical Jump ◽

Track And Field ◽

Fat Free Mass ◽

Jump Performance ◽

Age Related ◽

Vertical Jumping ◽

Masters Athletes

Vertical jumping power declines with advancing age, which is theoretically explicable by loss of muscle mass and increases in body fat. However, the results of previous cross-sectional studies remain inconsistent on these relationships. The present study included 256 masters athletes who competed at the 2018 track and field world championships in Málaga, Spain. We assessed body composition with bioelectrical impedance (Inbody S10) and vertical jumping power with a Leonardo ground reaction force platform. Relationships between age, jumping power, and body composition were analyzed by correlation and regression analyses. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate effects of each factor on vertical jumping power. Age-related rates of decreases in maximal power and jump height were similar between male and female athletes. Percent fat-free mass and percent body fat were negatively and positively, respectively, associated with age in masters athletes and were comparable to those previously observed in the general population. Moreover, these effects in body composition can, to a great extent, explain the age-related decline in jumping power, an effect that seems at least partly independent of age. Finally, the multiple regression model to determine independent predictors of vertical jump performance yielded an overall R2 value of 0.75 with the inclusion of (1) athletic specialization in power events, (2) percent fat-free mass, and (3) phase angle. However, partial regression yielded significant effects of age, but not gender, on peak power, even when adjusting for athletic specialization, percent fat-free mass, and phase angle. We concluded that loss of skeletal muscle mass and changes in bio-impedance phase angle are important contributors to the age-related reduction in anaerobic power, even in adults who maintain high levels of physical activity into old age. However, age per se remains a significant predictor of vertical jump performance, further demonstrating deteriorated muscle quality at old age (sarcosthenia).

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Body Composition of Children in the Pre-pubertal and Early-pubertal Period: Are There Some Age-related and Intersexual Differences?

GYMNASIUM ◽

10.29081/gsjesh.2018.19.2.06 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol XIX (2) ◽

pp. 64

Author(s):

Pavol Čech ◽

Pavel Ružbarský ◽

Ľubomír Paučír ◽

Dalibor Dzugas

Keyword(s):

Body Composition ◽

Body Fat ◽

Bioelectrical Impedance ◽

Impedance Analysis ◽

Body Fat Percentage ◽

Fat Percentage ◽

Age Related ◽

Health Related ◽

Wallis Anova ◽

Vega 1

The aim of the presented study was to assess changes in body composition and intersexual differences among children at pre-pubertal and early-pubertal age. The research was designed as a non-randomized cross-section study. The screened sample consisted of 136 girls and 212 boys assigned into three groups according to their age. Body composition was measured using a direct segmental multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (DSM-BIA). To examine the association between obesity and selected health-related parameters, Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA and Eta2 were used. For evaluation of intersexual differences, Mann-Whitney U-test was used. The presented article is the part of VEGA 1/0840/17 project. From the perspective of age, neither in the group of girls nor boys we recorded any differences in indicators of body composition, namely in body fat mass index, body fat percentage and, in addition, in the group of girls in the waist to hip ratio parameter.

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Age-related influences on somatic and physical fitness of elite police agents (Influencias de la edad en la aptitud física y somática de los agentes de policía de élite)

Retos ◽

10.47197/retos.v1i40.82910 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 281-288

Author(s):

Alfredo O. Araujo ◽

Jose M. Cancela ◽

Pedro Bezerra ◽

Cesar Chaves ◽

Luis P. Rodrigues

Keyword(s):

Physical Fitness ◽

Police Officers ◽

Bench Press ◽

Aerobic Power ◽

Handgrip Strength ◽

Squat Jump ◽

Age Related ◽

Grasa Corporal ◽

Endurance Strength ◽

Effect Of Age

Age-related influences on somatic and physical fitness of elite police agents Influencias de la edad en la aptitud física y somática de los agentes de policía de élite Background: Elite police officers must be physically fit to perform their job occupational demands but information on the effect of age in their physical fitness and somatic composition is scarce. Our aim is to describe the effect of age on somatic and physical fitness of a Special Police Unit (SPU); and to understand age-related changes. Methods: 117 SPU elements of a total of 218, aged 42.6±4.2 years, were assessed on their somatic (height, weight, circumferences, skinfolds); body composition (BMI, body fat); and physical fitness (maximal, power and endurance strength, aerobic power, and flexibility). T-tests were used for comparing results to other police studies. Regression analysis was used to detect the effect of age for somatic and fitness variable. Results: SPU elements showed a homogeneous and suitable fitness condition. No somatic differences were found along age, but annual age losses were found for physical fitness, namely for strength: left handgrip strength (95%CI -0.70 to -0.12), bench press (95%CI -2.34 to -0.89), squat jump (95%CI -0.70 to -0.12), medicinal ball throw (95%CI -0.62 to -0.25), push-ups (95%CI -1.64 to -0.66), pull-ups (95%CI -0.53 to -0.11), sit-ups (95%CI -1.33 to -0.27), but also on the VO2max (-0.535 to -0.115). Conclusions: Portuguese SPU elements showed a good somatic and physical fitness condition according to the requirements of their profession. Regardless the effect of age they were able to maintain a good somatic fitness and a very good aerobic power along the years. The loss of strength was the most associated with age. Resumen. Introducción: Los agentes de policía de élite deben estar en buena forma física para cumplir con las demandas ocupacionales de su trabajo, pero la información sobre el efecto de la edad en su condición física y composición somática es escasa. Nuestro objetivo es describir el efecto de la edad sobre la aptitud física y somática de una Unidad Especial de Policía (SPU); y comprender los cambios relacionados con la edad. Métodos: Se evaluaron 117 elementos SPU de un total de 218, con edad de 42,6 ± 4,2 años, en su morfología (altura, peso, circunferencias, pliegues cutáneos); composición corporal (IMC, grasa corporal); y aptitud física (fuerza máxima, potencia y resistencia, potencia aeróbica y flexibilidad). Se utilizaron pruebas t-Student para comparar los resultados con otros estudios policiales. Se utilizó el análisis de regresión para detectar el efecto de la edad para la variable somática y de aptitud. Resultados: Los elementos SPU mostraron una condición física adecuada y homogénea. No se encontraron diferencias somáticas a lo largo de la edad, pero se encontraron pérdidas de edad anuales para la condición física, es decir, para la fuerza: fuerza de prensión (IC 95%: -0,70 a -0,12), bench press (IC del 95%: -2,34 a -0,89), squat jump (IC 95%: -0,70 a -0,12), lanzamiento de pelota medicinal (IC 95%: -0,62 a -0,25), extensiones de brazo (IC 95%: -1,64 a -0,66), flexiones de brazo (IC 95%: -0,53 a -0,11), abdominales (IC 95%: -1,33 a -0,27), pero también sobre el VO2 máx. (-0,535 a -0,115). Conclusiones: Los elementos SPU portugueses mostraron una buena condición física y somática de acuerdo con los requisitos de su profesión. Independientemente del efecto de la edad lograron mantener una buena condición somática y una muy buena potencia aeróbica a lo largo de los años. La pérdida de fuerza fue la más asociada con la edad.

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