Body Composition and Lifestyle Factors in ROTC

July 9, 2026 updated by: Michael J. Ormsbee, Florida State University

Associations Between Body Composition, Energy Availability, and Lifestyle Factors in Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadets

This study aims to investigates the relationships between body composition, sleep, diet, and physical fitness in ROTC cadets. Further, it aims to evaluate the accuracy of body composition screening methods and identify lifestyle factors linked to performance. Methods include body composition testing, surveys, accelerometry, and fitness score collection from cadets.

Study Overview

Status

Withdrawn

Conditions

Detailed Description

This study focuses on understanding health and performance among students enrolled in Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). ROTC cadets are a population expected to maintain both academic and military-readiness demands. Many cadets must balance early-morning training, full course loads, part-time jobs, and social obligations, all of which can influence their sleep habits, nutrition choices, and physical fitness. At the same time, the assessment of body composition is an important part of military standards, yet the tools used to evaluate it vary widely and may not always reflect an individual's true physiological status. To explore these interconnected factors, this study examines patterns in cadets' body composition alongside their dietary practices, sleep behaviors, and physical fitness. By doing so, it seeks to clarify how everyday lifestyle factors may support or hinder readiness and whether commonly used body composition screening methods align with more precise measurements. Ultimately, the goal is to provide a clearer picture of the health challenges and needs of ROTC cadets and to help inform strategies that promote performance, well-being, and long-term resilience in this unique group.

Study Type

Observational

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

United States
- Florida
  - Tallahassee, Florida, United States, 32306
    - Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

Adult
Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Current members of local Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadets (ROTC) programs.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

currently enrolled as a Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadets
18 years or older

Exclusion Criteria:

pregnancy
injuries preventing full participation in ROTC training or activities

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Number of groups / cohorts

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadets Low Energy Availability or Non-Low Energy Availability

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Energy Availability Time Frame: 7 days	7 days
Physical Fitness Time Frame: Day of study enrollment	Day of study enrollment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Subjective Sleep Time Frame: Day of study enrollment		Day of study enrollment
Body Composition Time Frame: Day of study enrollment		Day of study enrollment
Muscle quality Time Frame: day of study enrollment	Ultrasound echo intensity and muscle thickness	day of study enrollment
Nutrition Knowledge Time Frame: day of study enrollment	Knowledge of nutrition based on survey scores	day of study enrollment

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Florida State University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

October 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

May 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

May 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 9, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 9, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

January 16, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 9, 2026

Last Verified

January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

STUDY00006460

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.