Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of Vitamin D Supplementation On Serum 25(Oh)D And Its Association With Stress Fractures In High-Risk, Physically Active Adults: A Critically Appraised Topic, Connor Lewis, Martha Yost, Aric J. Warren

Journal of Sports Medicine and Allied Health Sciences: Official Journal of the Ohio Athletic Trainers Association

Clinical Scenario: In collegiate athletic and military populations alike, the repetitive and intense training increase the risk of experiencing a stress fracture, representing a significant time loss and financial cost. Research suggests the use of supplemental vitamin D to prevent the occurrence of stress fractures in high-risk adults. Clinical Question: In high risk, physically active adults, does the effect of vitamin D supplementation on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration effect the occurrence of stress fractures? Clinical Bottom Line: The findings suggest that clinicians should consider the use of supplemental vitamin D as a protective measure against the occurrence of stress …

Catastrophes From Consumption: Meat Production Problems, Dana Bakke

Fresh Voices: Composition at Cal Poly

No abstract provided.

They’Re Human, Too, Ashley Woo

Fresh Voices: Composition at Cal Poly

No abstract provided.

Eat. Sleep. Lift. Repeat., Jaymi Boynton

Fresh Voices: Composition at Cal Poly

No abstract provided.

My Most Terrifying Teacher, Emma Pierotti

Fresh Voices: Composition at Cal Poly

No abstract provided.

Decolonizing Postpartum Depression: A Review Of Postpartum Depression In Adolescent American Indian Mothers, Brandi A. Richardson, Christopher J. Cutter, Mark Beitel

Journal of Indigenous Research

Postpartum depression (PPD), defined as at least two weeks of depressed mood or loss of interest in daily activities accompanied by symptoms such as altered eating habits, suicidal or infanticidal thoughts, feelings of inadequacy, and low energy, is a significant public health problem in the United States. Poor infant and maternal health increase risk for PPD. In addition, adolescent mothers are at higher risk of prenatal depression, birth complications, and PPD. Current research fails to address adolescent American Indian / Alaska Native (AI/AN) mothers experiencing PPD. This review seeks to integrate what has been discovered about PPD within Native communities …

Ft-Mir Spectra Of Fructose And Glutamine-Based Edible Polymer, Ghassan Faisal Mohsin

Baghdad Science Journal

The Maillard mechanism frequently gives numerous varieties of food a distinctive flavor and visually appealing hue. The Maillard reaction (MR) is additionally referred to as the non-enzymatic glycosylation, and MR contain a variety of chemical compounds, including precursors for the brown hue generated in the Maillard reaction and compounds that eventually form melanoidins, which are brown that develop into dark-colored hue nitrogenous polymer molecules. Melanoidin polymer was synthesized by integrating L-glutamine and D-fructose and then scorching the resulting mixture at 130 °C for 20 minutes. Additionally, dialysis was conducted to eliminate low molecular weight fractions. The utilization of Fourier Transform …

Role Of Developmental Plasticity In Tethered Flight Performance Of The Oriental Fruit Fly, Bactrocera Dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), Thabang P. Moropa, Steve B.S. Baleba, Christopher W. Weldon

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

This study investigated the effect of nutrition on development of wings and adult body condition of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), an exotic pest of Asian origin and a species of economic importance in South Africa. Six host fruit types were used to rear B. dorsalis: mango, guava, orange, grapefruit, papaya and apple. One day after emergence, adults were used for tethered flight assessments using computerised flight mills. Additional flies were assessed in terms of wing morphology using geometric morphometrics, flight muscle mass, and lipid content. There were significant differences in the larval and pupal developmental time as well as larval and …

Supplementary Table 2. Colostrum Fatty Acid Content (%) For Cows Supplemented –40 Meq/Kg Dm Dcad Diet +/- 23 G/D Nicotinic Acid Or –80 Meq/Kg Dm Dcad Diet +/- 23 G/D Nicotinic Acid For 28 D Prepartum, Tess Stahl, J. Kraft, Sarah Allen, Peter S. Erickson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Supplementary Table 1. Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (% Of Colostrum) For Cows Supplemented –40 Meq/Kg Dm Dcad Diet +/- 23 G/D Nicotinic Acid Or –80 Meq/Kg Dm Dcad Diet +/- 23 G/D Nicotinic Acid For 28 D Prepartum, Tess Stahl, J. Kraft, Sarah Allen, Peter S. Erickson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin, And Interleukin-38 Food And Air Allergy Patients Following The Pandemic Of Covid-19 In Iraq, Esraa Hameed Khamees, Zaizafoon N. Nasif

Baghdad Science Journal

Allergies are a common health issue where the immune system reacts to substances in the environment that are normally harmless. This study further investigates the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), interleukin-38 (IL-38), immunoglobulin E (IgE), and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in these individuals, offering insight into the probable processes behind allergic responses following the pandemic. The study comprised 120 non-vaccinated females with previous COVID-19 infection. Groups included controls and food and air (F&A) allergic patients, with 60 individuals matched for age and gender. Serum levels of IL-38, VEGF, IgE, and NGLA were assessed using …

Improving Rural Health Through Nutrition Incentives: A Mixed Methods Evaluation Of The First Year Of The Appalachian Farmacy Program, Bethesda O'Connell, Harrison Ihrig, Andrea D Nutsugah, Ignacio Garcia, Michael Rice, Ashley Cavender

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Food insecurity remains a critical public health concern, particularly in rural, low-income communities. In 2023, 13.5% of United States households experienced food insecurity, with rates in Tennessee (15.6%) exceeding the national average. Produce prescription programs have emerged as a strategy to improve food access and promote healthier eating behaviors. This study presents an evaluation of Appalachian Farmacy, a produce prescription program in Northeast Tennessee designed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among individuals receiving Medicaid, Medicare, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Program evaluation methods included semi-structured interviews for process evaluation and pre- and post-surveys for outcome evaluation. Interviews …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Anticancer Activity Study Of New Curcumin Analogues Against Mda-Mb 231 Breast Cancer Cell Line, Ola A. Odah, Rita S Elias, Shaker A. N. Al-Jadaan

Baghdad Science Journal

Synthesis of six new curcumin analogues was performed through condensation reaction of 3-methyl-2, 4-pentandione with substituted aromatic aldehyde derivatives and boron oxide in the presence of trimethylborate and butylamine. The reaction was carried out under ultrasonic irradiation. The synthesized compounds were identified using ¹H-, ¹³C-NMR, FT-IR spectroscopy, and electron impact mass spectrometry. The Swiss ADME website was used to predict the physicochemical properties of the new compounds using computational techniques like ADME studies. All produced compounds, according to this study, complies with the Lipinski rule of five. The microculture tetrazolium (MTT) assay was utilized to assess the investigated …

Assessment Of Histopathological Features Of The Placenta And Plasma Level Of Βhcg, Estrogen, And Progesterone In First-Trimester Spontaneous Miscarriage, Russul Hameed Hassan, Mukhtar K. Haba

Baghdad Science Journal

Miscarriage is a distressing complication with many fetal and maternal abnormalities. About 15% of pregnancies end in spontaneous miscarriages, and over 80% of these occur in the first 12 weeks of gestation. This research aims to evaluate the changes in the hormonal status in addition to determining the types and incidences of abnormalities in the decidua and chorionic villi of placentas that have been aborted. The peripheral blood samples were collected from twenty normal pregnant women as a control group and 30 aborted women. The obstetric characteristics results showed that the patients' mean maternal age was 25.73 ± 7.32 years …

A Scoping Review On Governing The Commercial Determinants Of Health: Mechanisms, Tools, And Collaborative Approaches, Alyssa S. Khan, Sierra Arnold, Imran Bari, Isabel G. Long, Nino Paichadze

Student Works

Purpose: The commercial determinants of health (CDoH) are the systems, practices, and pathways through which commercial actors drive health and equity. This review aimed to identify CDoH governance approaches, distinguishing between promoted and criticized approaches.

Design/Methodology/Approach: We conducted a systematic scoping review in PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Relevant grey literature was also identified through citation searching and reference list review. Our search strategy combined terms related to economic and commercial determinants of health, governance models, and health outcomes. English-language publications between January 2000 to December 2025 were included. Relevant data from included sources were extracted and then synthesized using …

Trends In Self-Reported Responses To Nutrition Facts Labels Before And After Nutrition Labeling Policy Implementation: A Comparison Of Adults In The United States And Mexico, Jim Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms, Victor Vilalobos, Dai Fang, Alejandra Jáuregui, Alejandra Contreras-Manzano, Rachel Davis Ph.D., Lana Vanderlee, Christine M. White, Rachel B. Acton, James W. Hardin, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Simón Barquera, David Hammond

Faculty Publications

Background

Objectives

Methods

Selenium-Thioredoxin Axis Contributes To Ferroptosis Resistance In Pancreatic Cancer Cells, Arslan Amer, Micah Olamide Idowu, Aqsa Ahsan, Alyssa A. Abbas, Tahiyat Alothaim, Xiaohu Tang

Michigan Tech Publications

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) shows substantial heterogeneity in cysteine dependence and ferroptosis sensitivity. We identify two PDAC subtypes distinguished by EMT status: mesenchymal-like cells are highly cysteine-dependent and rapidly undergo ferroptosis upon cystine deprivation or system xc⁻ inhibition, whereas epithelial-type cells are ferroptosis-resistant. Selenium supplementation protects cells from erastin-induced ferroptosis, and this protection persists even when intracellular glutathione (GSH) is depleted, supporting an additional GPX4-independent protective mechanism. Sepp1 knockdown does not alter sensitivity, indicating that selenium’s protective effect is independent of Sepp1. Instead, epithelial-type cells rely on both cytosolic and mitochondrial thioredoxin reductases (TrxR1 and TrxR2) to maintain ferroptosis …

A Novel Method For Producing Muscle Cramps Without Electrical Stimulation, Elizabeth C. Krajca, Benjamin Greengold, Edward Merritt

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Muscle cramps are involuntary, often painful, skeletal muscle contractions that can occur for multiple reasons including physical exertion, injury, dehydration, nutritional deficiencies, or other neuromuscular conditions. Understanding muscle cramping etiology and treatments is difficult due to their often unpredictable timing and conditions that need to be met for many individuals to experience them. Previous studies have induced muscle cramping through electrical stimulation, long duration exercise, dehydration, and other methods, but these techniques are either non-physiological or complex and time attentive. PURPOSE: Therefore, we aimed to develop a new method to produce a muscle cramp in the biceps brachii in a …

Dietary Acculturation And Body Composition Changes In Division I Female International Student-Athletes, Holland R. Weerasekara, Leticia De Souza, Leslee Funderburk

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Athletic performance relies on optimal body composition that supports biomechanics and bioenergetics of sport. Limited research exists on dietary acculturation and body composition changes in Division I female international student-athletes. PURPOSE: To investigate the impact of dietary acculturation levels and increased food availability on the body composition of Division I female international student-athletes. METHODS: Eighteen female NCAA Division I female international student-athletes (18–25 years) from 14 countries and 5 sports participated. Retrospective Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) body composition data were accessed at baseline, 6 months, 12 months, and most recent scan. Dietary acculturation and food availability were assessed using the …

Inter-Rater Reliability Of Manual Waist Circumference And Agreement With Dxa-Derived Waist In Male Collegiate Rugby Players, Hayden Johnson, Christian Rivera, Stephanie Hansford, Regan Renfro, Dalton Prye, Matthew Poole, Saheed Jaiyeola, Sage A. Newman, Adesiji Adetona, Oscar Woodside, Jmya Hughes, Preston James, Kelly Hines, Jade Simon, Drew E. Gonzalez, Christopher D. Greenleaf, Micheil Spillane

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Waist circumference (WC) is a low-cost surrogate of central adiposity, but measurement error can limit athlete monitoring. PURPOSE: Evaluate inter-rater reliability of manual WC and agreement with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-derived WC in male collegiate rugby players. METHODS: Twenty-one male collegiate rugby players completed baseline testing (manual WC and DXA completed same day) following an overnight fast and euhydration. Two trained raters independently measured WC on bare skin at the superior border of the iliac crest (site not pre-marked) using a seca 201 measurement tape, with participants standing feet together and arms relaxed at their sides; the tape was verified …

Classic Biva Differences By Position And Rugby-Specific Tolerance Ellipses In Collegiate Male Rugby Athletes, Christian Rivera, Hayden Johnson, Stephanie Hansford, Regan Renfro, Dalton Prye, Matthew Poole, Saheed Jaiyeola, Sage A. Newman, Adesiji Adetona, Oscar Woodside, Jmya Hughes, Preston James, Kelly Hines, Jade Simon, Drew E. Gonzalez, Christopher D. Greenleaf, Micheil Spillane

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) supports interpretation of hydration and soft-tissue status, yet population reference ellipses may not reflect rugby union athletes. PURPOSE: Compare classic BIVA between forwards and backs and derive rugby-specific tolerance ellipses. METHODS: Twenty-one collegiate male rugby athletes (forwards n=15; backs n=6) completed standing multifrequency BIA (seca mBCA 514) in the morning after an overnight fast (≥12 h) and ≥24 h exercise abstention. Hydration was assessed via urine specific gravity (USG; CLINITEK Status+; Multistix 10 SG). Whole-body 50 kHz resistance (R) and reactance (Xc) were averaged bilaterally; |Xc| was used, values were normalized to height (R/H, Xc/H), …

Associations Between Dxa-Derived Trunk Adiposity And Resting Hemodynamics In Male Collegiate Rugby Union Athletes, Adesiji Adetona, Hayden Johnson, Christian Rivera, Stephanie Hansford, Regan Renfro, Dalton Prye, Matthew Poole, Saheed Jaiyeola, Sage A. Newman, Oscar Woodside, Jmya Hughes, Preston James, Kelly Hines, Jade Simon, Drew E. Gonzalez, Christopher D. Greenleaf, Micheil Spillane

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Trunk adiposity is a cardiometabolic risk factor that may relate to resting hemodynamics even in young athletic populations. PURPOSE: To examine associations between DXA-derived trunk percent fat and resting heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) in male collegiate rugby union athletes. METHODS: Twenty-one male rugby athletes completed morning testing (06:00–09:00 h) following ≥12 h fast and post-void, with stimulants (including caffeine) restricted ≥12 h and no exercise ≥24 h. Hydration was screened using urine specific gravity (USG; CLINITEK Status+ with Multistix 10 SG) and urine color (clear yellow). Whole-body DXA (Hologic Horizon W; APEX v5.6.1.3 rev 007) provided trunk …

Associations Of Resting Hemodynamics With Dxa Total Body Fat Percentage In Collegiate Rugby Union Athletes, Saheed Jaiyeola, Hayden Johnson, Christian Rivera, Stephanie Hansford, Regan Renfro, Dalton Prye, Matthew Poole, Sage A. Newman, Adesiji Adetona, Oscar Woodside, Jmya Hughes, Preston James, Kelly Hines, Jade Simon, Drew E. Gonzalez, Christopher D. Greenleaf, Micheil Spillane

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Elevated adiposity is linked to cardiometabolic risk, yet relationships between total body fat and resting hemodynamics are not well described in collegiate rugby populations. PURPOSE: Examine associations between DXA total body fat percentage (%fat) and resting heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) in male rugby union athletes. METHODS: Twenty-one male rugby union athletes completed same-morning testing (06:00–09:00 h) following ≥12 h fast and post-void, with stimulants (including caffeine) restricted ≥12 h and no exercise ≥24 h. Hydration was screened using urine specific gravity (USG; CLINITEK Status+ with Multistix 10 SG) and urine color (clear yellow). After 5-min seated rest …

Comparison Of Dxa-Derived Body Volume Estimation Equations (Wilson Vs Smith-Ryan) In Collegiate Rugby Union Athletes, Jmya Hughes, Hayden Johnson, Christian Rivera, Stephanie Hansford, Regan Renfro, Dalton Prye, Matthew Poole, Saheed Jaiyeola, Sage A. Newman, Adesiji Adetona, Oscar Woodside, Preston James, Kelly Hines, Jade Simon, Drew E. Gonzalez, Christopher D. Greenleaf, Micheil Spillane

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Accurate estimation of body volume (BV) is required for multicomponent body composition models. PURPOSE: Compare two published DXA-derived BV equations (Wilson vs Smith-Ryan) using whole-body Hologic DXA tissue masses in collegiate rugby union athletes. METHODS: Twenty-one male rugby union athletes underwent whole-body DXA (Hologic Horizon W; APEX v5.6.1.3 Rev 007; Classic calibration [NHANES BCA disabled]; standard tissue analysis; daily QC within tolerance) during morning testing (06:00–09:00 h) while fasted and post-void; caffeine was avoided (≥12 h) and exercise was avoided (≥24 h). Hydration was assessed prior to scanning via urine specific gravity (Siemens CLINITEK Status+; Multistix 10 SG) and urine …

Agreement Of Seca 286 Scale Weight With Dxa Acquisition Weight, Apex Soft-Tissue Mass, And Dxa Sum-Of-Components Mass In Collegiate Rugby Athletes, Matthew Poole, Hayden Johnson, Christian Rivera, Stephanie Hansford, Regan Renfro, Dalton Prye, Saheed Jaiyeola, Sage A. Newman, Adesiji Adetona, Oscar Woodside, Jmya Hughes, Preston James, Kelly Hines, Jade Simon, Drew E. Gonzalez, Christopher D. Greenleaf, Micheil Spillane

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Accurate body mass is foundational for DXA-derived indices and longitudinal tracking. PURPOSE: Determine agreement between Seca 286 scale weight and DXA acquisition weight, quantify the difference between DXA acquisition weight and the APEX whole-body mass field (fat + lean), and evaluate a DXA sum-of-components mass (fat + lean + BMC) relative to scale weight as an internal QC check (Houtkooper et al., Am J Clin Nutr, 2000). METHODS: Twenty-one male rugby union athletes completed same-morning testing (06:00–09:00 h) while fasted and post-void; caffeine was restricted (≥12 h) and exercise abstained (≥24 h). Hydration was screened prior to DXA. Body mass …

Total Cholesterol Is Not Associated With Dxa-Derived Visceral Adipose Tissue In Collegiate Rugby Union Athletes, Regan Renfro, Hayden Johnson, Christian Rivera, Stephanie Hansford, Dalton Prye, Matthew Poole, Saheed Jaiyeola, Sage A. Newman, Adesiji Adetona, Oscar Woodside, Jmya Hughes, Preston James, Kelly Hines, Jade Simon, Drew E. Gonzalez, Christopher D. Greenleaf, Micheil Spillane

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Visceral fat has shown a direct correlation with unhealthy cholesterol levels. PURPOSE: Determine the association between point-of-care total cholesterol (TC) and DXA-derived visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in collegiate rugby union athletes. METHODS: Twenty-one male rugby athletes (age 21.7±2.1 y; BMI 28.9±6.7 kg/m²) completed morning testing (06:00-09:00 h) following an overnight fast, post-void, no caffeine ≥12 h, and no exercise ≥24 h; hydration was screened prior to DXA. TC (mg/dL) was assessed from capillary whole blood via fingerstick using an Accutrend Plus analyzer. Values below the device reporting limit (<150 mg/dL; 3.88 mmol/L) were set to 150 mg/dL for analysis. VAT mass (g) was quantified via whole-body DXA (Hologic Horizon W; APEX v5.6.1.3 rev 007, standard tissue analysis; daily QC within tolerance). Pearson correlations examined TC vs VAT; secondary analyses included TC vs BMI and a sensitivity analysis excluding a VAT outlier (1.5×IQR) (p<0.05). RESULTS: TC was 162.3±19.4 mg/dL (range 150-220); 10/21 (47.6%) were below …

Acute And Short-Term Effects Of Creatine Supplementation On Urinary Creatinine And Body Water In Young Healthy Adults: A Preliminary Analysis, Kelsi R. Lambright, Cayla Clark, Tatiana C. Gaibor Verdezoto, Edwin J. Davila, Darryn Willoughby, Dan E. Newmire

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Creatine monohydrate is one of the most widely used ergogenic supplements; however, acute and short-term changes in urinary markers following supplementation are not fully characterized in healthy adults. PURPOSE: To examine acute (3 h, 6 h) and short-term (8 d) changes in urinary creatinine measures following creatine supplementation in healthy males and females. METHODS: Eighteen recreationally active young adults (8 females; 21.4 ± 3.1 years, 171.2 ± 10.0 cm, 72.6 ± 13.6 kg, and 24.6 ± 4.8 kg/m2) completed the study thus far. Participants ingested creatine monohydrate supplementation at a dose of 5 g·day⁻¹ for 7 consecutive days. Measures were …

Appendicular Lean Mass Index Compared With Normative Values In Male Collegiate Rugby Athletes, Hayden Johnson, Dalton Prye, Jade Simon, Christian Rivera, Stephanie Hansford, Regan Renfro, Matthew Poole, Saheed Jaiyeola, Sage A. Newman, Adesiji Adetona, Oscar Woodside, Jmya Hughes, Preston James, Kelly Hines, Drew E. Gonzalez, Christopher D. Greenleaf, Micheil Spillane

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Low appendicular lean mass index (ALMI) is used to characterize skeletal muscle status, yet normative comparisons for strength-trained athletes remain limited. PURPOSE: To describe appendicular lean mass (ALM) and ALMI in male collegiate rugby union athletes, compare values by position group, and contextualize against published reference and international rugby union norms. METHODS: Twenty-one male collegiate rugby union athletes (age 21.7 ± 2.2 y; 177.7 ± 8.8 cm; 91.7 ± 23.4 kg) completed whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA; Hologic Horizon W; APEX v5.6) between 0600–0900 h, fasted and post-void, after 24 h exercise abstinence; hydration was assessed via urine specific gravity …

Urine Specific Gravity Is Not Associated With Bioimpedance-Derived Total Body Water In Collegiate Rugby Athletes, Stephanie Hansford, Hayden Johnson, Christian Rivera, Regan Renfro, Dalton Prye, Matthew Poole, Saheed Jaiyeola, Sage A. Newman, Adesiji Adetona, Oscar Woodside, Jmya Hughes, Preston James, Kelly Hines, Jade Simon, Drew E. Gonzalez, Christopher D. Greenleaf, Micheil Spillane

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Collegiate rugby athletes often report inadequate fluid intake, yet their large body size yields high absolute total body water (TBW). PURPOSE: To examine relationships between urine specific gravity (USG) and bioimpedance-derived TBW and extracellular water (ECW) during T1 testing in male collegiate rugby players. METHODS: Twenty-one male collegiate rugby athletes provided a first-morning, midstream clean-catch urine sample upon arrival (06:00-09:00 h) following an overnight fast; caffeine was restricted for 12 h and fluid intake was ad libitum. Urine specific gravity (USG; semi-quantitative strip output) was assessed via Siemens CLINITEK Status+ with Multistix 10 SG; urine color was recorded. Total body …

Body Composition Profiling Of Firefighters Who Reported Workers’ Compensation: Are Those Who Filed Fit For Duty Part 2, Jade Simon, Sage A. Newman, Kelly Hines, Newman Brian, Michael Conner, Drew E. Gonzalez

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Firefighting requires resilience, good fitness, and body composition to prevent injuries. Excess fat and low lean mass raise the risk of MSK injuries like strains, which account for over half of firefighter injuries annually. Identifying fitness and body composition factors related to injury claims can help prevent injuries and reduce occupational risk strain. PURPOSE: We compared the BC profiles of those who filed for workers' compensation (WC) to those who did not. METHODS: Archival data for 499 career firefighters—466 men and 28 women—were analyzed from annual clinical testing. Body composition was measured via bioelectrical impedance. Participants reported whether …