The Role Of Food Proximity in Eating Behavior and Body Mass Index Among Air Force Personnel

Over half of active duty military personnel are overweight (Bray et al., 2006). Compared to non-overweight status, overweight status is associated with greater health risk, poorer health status, and lower physical fitness. Although much research to date has examined individual factors associated with overweight, the role of environmental factors has received less attention. The purpose of the proposed study was to examine the extent to which objective and perceived food proximity to base food outlets is associated with both military base food consumption frequency and body mass index among military personnel. Participants were 192 Air Force personnel stationed at Andrews AFB who worked in buildings with different proximity to base food outlets.