Relationships between socioeconomic factors and engagement in physical activity depending on lifestyle satisfaction among soldiers a preliminary investigation

INTRODUCTION

Physical and mental health constitute the foundation of life satisfaction. In the military environment, their role is particularly important, as these factors are considered a key determinants of the effective performance of military duties. They are examined during military qualification and through regular periodic medical examinations.

It has been documented that physical fitness, which results from regular exercise and physical activity, has a beneficial effect on both physical and mental health [1]. It is emphasized that, alongside stress resilience and the ability to cope with psychological strain, physical fitness forms the basis of military service [2].

According to Deuster [3], physical fitness confers resilience because regular exercise induces positive physiological and psychological adaptations and protects against the potential consequences of stressful events.

The nature of military service, which lasts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, involving long-term deployments away from home, often under harsh conditions and with exposure to the risk of injury or even death, is a factor that may undoubtedly negatively affect soldiers’ life satisfaction and quality of life [4,5]. Due to the nature of their work, military personnel often have to prioritize professional duties over personal well-being [6]. Numerous studies have shown that healthy and happy employees have a better quality of life, a lower risk of disease and injury, and increased work productivity [7,8]. Studies conducted among soldiers have also shown that well-being and optimism positively affect soldiers’ work performance [9].

Vojvodic and Gordana [10] assessed the quality of life of Serbian military personnel and demonstrated its high level among the soldiers studied. However, the authors observed that with increasing age, quality of life decreased while levels of anxiety increased. Studies conducted among soldiers of the Philippine Army showed associations between stress levels and selected aspects of well-being (such as sleep quality and perceived health), highlighting the importance of psychological resilience [11]. In turn, Polish studies of military aviation personnel revealed high levels of well-being and life satisfaction [12].

Undoubtedly, the profession of a soldier is associated with high levels of stress and physical, psychological, and emotional challenges. It requires enormous dedication and often risking one’s health and life required by the service. At the same time, military service significantly impacts service members’ identities, shaping their self-perceptions, worldviews, mental health, and well-being [13]. While some aspects of military service positively affect soldiers’ mental and physical health, others are associated with negative consequences.

Despite growing scientific interest in the military environment, it remains a particularly interesting and still insufficiently explored area of research. There is still a research gap in the literature regarding a comprehensive analysis of socioeconomic factors, self-assessment of physical fitness, and the motives and barriers to engaging in physical activity in relation to the subjective evaluation of lifestyle satisfaction among soldiers. Therefore, it was justified to undertake the present study, aimed at a preliminary identification of the analyzed relationships among active-duty soldiers.

This study aimed to assess the relationship between self-reported lifestyle satisfaction among soldiers and: (a) selected socioeconomic factors, (b) self-assessed physical fitness, and (c) motives and barriers to engaging in physical activity.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

RESULTS

Among the analyzed socioeconomic variables (Table 1), age was found to be a factor significantly associated with self-reported lifestyle satisfaction (chi2 = 12.50; p = 0.005). Among soldiers reporting average and poor lifestyle satisfaction, more than half were young individuals under 30 years of age. With increasing age, the proportion of soldiers reporting average or poor lifestyle satisfaction decreased significantly. The odds ratio analysis showed that respondents aged 41 to 50 years had nearly ten times higher odds of being satisfied with their lifestyle compared to those aged up to 30 years (OR = 9.76; p = 0.003).

Marital status (Table 1) was also significantly associated with the level of lifestyle satisfaction declared by the soldiers (chi2 = 9.16; p = 0.028). More than 43% of soldiers reporting average or poor lifestyle satisfaction were single. Being in a relationship (OR = 2.00; p = 0.166) and being married (OR = 2.00; p = 0.017) doubled the odds of reporting lifestyle satisfaction. Nearly half of those satisfied with lifestyle were soldiers in marital relationships. The remaining variables showed no association with the declared level of lifestyle satisfaction among soldiers.

OR: Odds ratio; chi2: chi-square test; p-value: statistical significance.

While more than 85% of soldiers reporting very good or good lifestyle satisfaction rated their physical fitness as very good (29%) or good (57%), fewer than 4% of those reporting average or poor lifestyle satisfaction assessed their physical fitness as very good or good (Table 2). The odds of reporting very good or good lifestyle satisfaction significantly decreased among soldiers who rated their physical fitness as average (OR = 0.03; p ≤ 0.001) and poor (OR = 0.01; p ≤ 0.001).

OR: Odds ratio; chi2: chi-square test; p-value: statistical significance.

chi2: chi-square test; p-value: statistical significance.

Table 3 presents the most common motives and barriers to engaging in physical activity in relation to the level of lifestyle satisfaction declared by the soldiers. Regardless of the declared level of lifestyle satisfaction, taking care of one’s figure (staying in shape) was the most frequently indicated as a motivating factor for engaging in physical activity (16.82% of soldiers reporting very good or good lifestyle satisfaction and 14.29% of those reporting average or poor lifestyle satisfaction). A high percentage of soldiers also indicated getting in good shape (14.79% reporting very good or good lifestyle satisfaction, and 12.57% reporting average or poor lifestyle satisfaction) and maintaining good health (14.79% and 10.86%, respectively) as motives for engaging in physical activity.

Lack of time was most frequently reported the main barrier to engaging in physical activity, both among soldiers reporting very good or good lifestyle satisfaction (28.91%) and those reporting average or poor lifestyle satisfaction (32.18%). This was followed by family obligations (17.69% and 19.54%) and excessive work duties (16.33% and 11.49%). Statistical analysis did not reveal any significant relationships between either the motives or the barriers to engaging in physical activity and the declared level of lifestyle satisfaction.

DISCUSSION

The aim of this study was to find associations between selected socioeconomic factors, self-reported physical fitness and engagement in physical activity, and self-rated lifestyle satisfaction among professional soldiers. The vast majority of respondents (73.5%) reported very good or good lifestyle satisfaction, while average or poor lifestyle satisfaction was declared by 26.5% of soldiers. In contrast, Jaroszuk, in a study on life satisfaction among air force soldiers, found that only 12.8% of respondents reported dissatisfaction with their quality of life [14]. In our study, more than half of those declaring average or poor lifestyle satisfaction were young individuals under 30 years of age. Moreover, our odds ratio analysis showed that soldiers aged 41 to 50 years had nearly ten times higher odds of being satisfied with their lifestyle compared to younger soldiers under 30 years of age (OR = 9.76, p = 0.003). Our observations are consistent with findings from a study conducted among 400 soldiers of the Pakistani Army [15]. The author found that younger soldiers reported lower levels of life satisfaction. Additionally, that study examined the relationship between education level and life satisfaction. Soldiers with lower levels of education were found to be more satisfied with life compared to those with higher education levels. In our study, the largest proportion of soldiers reporting very good or good lifestyle satisfaction had secondary education (n = 89; 60.54%), whereas those with higher education constituted a smaller proportion (n = 51; 34.69%).

Marital status was also found to be associated with the declared level of lifestyle satisfaction of soldiers (chi2 = 9.16; p = 0.028). More than 43% of soldiers declaring average or poor lifestyle satisfaction were single. Nearly half of those reporting very good or good lifestyle satisfaction were married soldiers.

Our results also demonstrated an association between lifestyle satisfaction and self-rated physical fitness among soldiers. This is consistent with findings showing that insufficient or avoided physical activity may negatively affect mental health outcomes, including anxiety and sleep quality, which are closely related to overall life satisfaction [16]. As many as 85% of soldiers reporting very good or good lifestyle satisfaction assessed their physical fitness as very good or good. In contrast, among those declaring average and poor lifestyle satisfaction, only 4% rated their physical fitness as very good.

The literature emphasizes that participation in regular physical activity improves quality of life and well-being [3,17-19]. Recent studies also highlight the importance of health-related behaviors and lifestyle patterns, including physical activity, in shaping health outcomes and quality of life [20].

Motives for engaging in physical activity vary and may be influenced by multiple factors. Numerous studies have been devoted to this issue, ranging from improving and maintaining health, combating obesity and cardiovascular diseases, and maintaining good physical condition, to motives such as achieving well-being, developing self-efficacy, or meeting new people [21–23]. Engagement in physical activity is often associated with intrinsic motivation, passion, or enjoyment of a particular sport. Studies among U.S. soldiers have shown that those who exercise solely due to military obligations achieve lower results in physical fitness tests compared to those motivated by health benefits [24]. Furthermore, research conducted among the Estonian Army demonstrated that soldiers who engaged in regular physical activity prior to enlistment for health improvement and well-being achieved higher levels of physical fitness [25]. In our study, the main motive for engaging in physical activity was taking care of one’s figure (staying in shape). A considerable proportion of respondents also indicated maintaining good health and getting in good shape as primary motives. In contrast, studies conducted among African American soldiers have shown that weight loss is a key motivator for engaging in physical activity [26,27], which is consistent with our findings.

In addition to motives, our study also analyzed barriers to engaging in physical activity. The main barriers identified by our respondents were lack of time and family obligations. Alcock and Wolvaar [27] published a study conducted among active-duty personnel of the South African National Defence Force. They found several key barriers to engaging in physical activity: no motivation, lack of infrastructure (training facilities/showers at work), difficulty maintaining a routine, and excessive work duties. The literature also includes studies addressing barriers to physical activity among war veterans who sustained injuries during missions or wars [23]. Walker et al. identified type of service, age, and years of service as major factors limiting physical activity among veterans. Sigrist et al. [28] found that lack of time is the primary obstacle to regular physical exercise among U.S. Officers. Similarly, Mailey et al. [29] indicated that, alongside the lack of time, family responsibilities are also a major barrier.

LIMITATIONS

Several limitations of this study should be noted. The presented research constitutes only a part of a broader research project and includes a relatively small sample size. Due to the low number of women in the study group, sex-based analyses were not conducted.

The research tool used in the study was not fully psychometrically validated, which may limit the validity and reliability of the results. Thus, the method of analyzing certain variables, including the division of respondents into groups based on self-reported lifestyle satisfaction, may affect the level of detail of the analysis of the results. Another limitation is the cross-sectional nature of the study, which prevents drawing conclusions about cause-and-effect relationships. Furthermore, the analysis was based solely on univariate analyses, and multivariate models were not applied, which may limit control for confounding variables. Additionally, not all potential confounding variables were considered, particularly participants’ health status, which may influence physical activity, physical fitness, and quality-of-life assessment. Physical fitness was assessed subjectively by the respondents and was not based on objective fitness test results. Finally, the study included only soldiers from land forces, which limits the generalizability of the findings to the entire military population, especially to other branches of the armed forces.

CONCLUSION

The results obtained in the study suggest that selected socioeconomic factors may play a significant role in shaping the level of lifestyle satisfaction among soldiers.

At the same time, no significant associations were found between the motives and barriers to engaging in physical activity and the level of lifestyle satisfaction, which may indicate that these factors do not play a direct role in shaping subjective well-being. However, due to the limitations outlined above and the methodology used, potential associations may not have been fully captured. The challenges faced by soldiers require responsibility, dedication, and commitment. Military service places a considerable physical and psychological burden both on soldiers and their immediate families [30]; therefore, the obtained results require further verification in studies involving larger and more diverse groups, taking into account different branches of the armed forces, as well as sex and military position. Future studies conducted on larger samples and using more advanced statistical methods may enable a more comprehensive understanding of the analyzed relationships.

Funding Statement: This research received no external funding. The APC was funded by Institute of Sport - National Research Institute and Institute of Economics and Finance, University of Szczecin

Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank all the soldiers who participated in this study.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.