The main purpose of the study was to analyze the associations between health-related physical fitness and fasting blood glucose in war veterans. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 764 men and women aged 45-75 years, who were part of the Homeland War between 1990 and 1995 (33.5% women). Health-related physical fitness included: (1) fat mass and fat-free mass (body composition), (2) push-ups in 30 s (muscular dynamic endurance of upper extremities), (3) sit-ups in 30 s (repetitive upper body strength), (4) chair-stands in 30 s (lower body strength), (5) sit-and-reach test (flexibility) and (6) the 2-min step test (cardiorespiratory function). Laboratory measurement of fasting blood glucose was performed according to standardized procedures in resting seated position after a 12-h overnight fast. Generalized estimating equations with multiple regression models were used to calculate the associations between health-related physical fitness and fasting blood glucose. In men, fasting blood glucose was significantly correlated with fat-free mass (β = - 0.25, p < 0.001), push-ups in 30 s (β = - 0.55, p < 0.001), chair-stands in 30 s (β = - 0.50, p < 0.001), sit-ups in 30 s (r = - 0.45, p < 0.001), the sit-and reach test (r = - 0.46, p < 0.001) and the 2-min step test (r = - 0.19, p < 0.001), while fat mass was positively correlated with fasting blood glucose (β = 0.14, p = 0.004). In women, fasting blood glucose was significantly correlated with fat mass (β = 0.20, p = 0.002), fat-free mass (β = - 0.15, p = 0.014), push-ups in 30 s (β = - 0.49, p < 0.001), chair-stands in 30 s (β = - 0.43, p < 0.001), sit-ups in 30 s (β = - 0.52, p < 0.001), the sit-and reach test (β = - 0.40, p < 0.001) and the 2-min step test (β = - 0.35, p < 0.001). This study shows that fasting blood glucose may be predicted by health-related physical fitness test in war veterans.

Department of General and Applied Kinesiology Faculty of Kinesiology University of Zagreb Horvaćanski zavoj 15 10 000 Zagreb Croatia

Division of Sport Motorics and Methodology in Kinanthropology Faculty of Sports Studies Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic

Home of Croatian Veterans Zagreb Croatia

Recrutiment and Examination Faculty of Science Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic

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