Personal Aspects and Physical Fitness Improvement: of Police Officers in Nonthaburi Province (คุณลักษณะส่วนบุคคล กับการพัฒนาสมรรถภาพทางกายของ ข้าราชการตำรวจจังหวัดนนทบุรี)

Abstract

                 Physical fitness provides the ability of cardiovascular, respiratory and musculoskeletal systems to function efficiently and effectively. This study investigated the influence of the health promotion project of RTPD during 2007-2008 on physical fitness improvement among 1,311 police officers in Nonthaburi Province. The data of the police officers who were not able to pass the physical fitness test (q-value) were reported and analyzed through chi-square test with p-value of 0.05 and odds ratio (OR) with 95%confidence interval. The results showed that several personal aspects, including age and physical activity, affected physical fitness with statistically significance. (p-value=0.001 and 0.002, respectively) Those who were in older age group (52-60 yrs) and those who work with less physical activities (accessory job) had lower physical fitness compared to other groups with OR of 2.59 (1.47-4.55) and 1.61 (1.06 -2.46) respectively. Additionally, q-value significantly changed in proportion with increasing age. Nevertheless, health promotion project was found to have the positive effect on physical fitness improvement with OR of 0.71 (0.54-0.94). According to the longitudinal study after 6-month period of well-operated project, the results showed that main job with higher physical activities and being in higher police rank (commissioned officers) supported the physical fitness improvement with RR of 0.04 (0.002 -0.76) and 2.09 (1.20 -3.63), respectively. In conclusion, older age and less physical activity render the physical fitness decline. However, the health promotion project is useful for physical fitness improvement. Work activity and police rank are two factors influencing physical fitness improvement.