Effects of implementing a mandatory and consequential annual fitness assessment in a fire department over the initial 4-year period.

Background: Despite the physical nature of the occupation many firefighters have low levels of physical fitness which is associated with poor performance of occupational tasks and increased injury rates. For many fire departments an initial step in promoting health and wellness within the department is to conduct annual fitness testing.

Objective: To examine the effects of implementing a consequential fitness assessment within a fire department.

Effects of fitness on self-reported physical and mental quality of life in professional firefighters: An exploratory study.

Background: The work-related stress experienced by firefighters is associated with numerous health issues. In the general population, improving physical fitness is associated with improvements in both mental and physical quality of life.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine whether fitter professional firefighters report greater physical and mental quality of life.

Individual responses to the implementation of mandatory fitness testing within a fire department.

Objectives: To examine the effects of implementing a consequential fitness assessment (pull-ups, curl-ups, push-ups, 3 min step test) in a fire department on an individual level.

Methods: We used a repeated-measures design to analyse fitness assessment data from 2019 to 2020 in Northern Virginia. A total of 631 professional firefighters completed the fitness assessment in both years.

Relationship between a Maximum Plank Assessment and Fitness, Health Behaviors, and Moods in Tactical Athletes: An Exploratory Study.

A maximum plank hold (PH) has been implemented in the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) with the Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program. The H2F program introduces a shift in wellbeing from a fitness centered approach to framework also comprising nutrition, sleep, mental, and spiritual components. The purpose was to analyze how a maximum PH correlated with fitness, lifestyle behaviors, and mood states in tactical athletes (TA) and assess differences between those who pass and fail.

Influence of grit and healthy lifestyle behaviors on anxiety and depression in US adults at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic: Cross-sectional study.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic altered lifestyles and impacted mental health of many adults. Engaging in physical activity, avoiding prolonged sitting, and consuming a healthy diet improve mental health. The current study investigated the association between health-related lifestyle behaviors on feelings of anxiety and depression in adults during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.