Introduction:
In the context of military training, the academic development of cadets is closely linked to their physical conditioning and overall well-being. Therefore, military education requires an approach that goes beyond technical and operational instruction to incorporate a comprehensive understanding of human development, including health promotion and self-care. Objective: To analyze the relationship between body composition and cardiovascular health indicators during the training process of cadets at the Escuela Militar de Cadetes General José María Córdova in Bogotá, Colombia.

Theoretical Framework:
Comprehensive education seeks to integrate physical, cognitive, emotional, and ethical dimensions. It recognizes that strengthening the body must be accompanied by an increased awareness of healthcare and the development of sustainable habits over time. From a military training perspective, understanding the relationship between body composition and health enables the design of programs that optimize performance, prevent injuries, and promote long-term well-being.

Methodology:
This cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational, and quantitative study examined 95 male cadets (mean age: 22.88 ± 0.95 years) in their final stage of officer training in the Colombian National Army. The variables used to assess body composition included body mass index (BMI, calculated from weight and height), percent body fat (PBF), visceral fat level (VFL), percent body muscle (PBM), measured circumference of the abdomen (MCA), and measured circumference of the hip (MCH). Using height, MCA, and MCH, the waist-to-height ratio (WHR) and the abdomen-to-hip ratio (AHR) were also calculated. Body composition was measured using an InBody 580 body composition analyzer (InBody Co., Seoul, Korea). Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics V30.0, with descriptive statistics presented as mean ± standard deviation and correlations assessed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient.

Results:
The following mean values were obtained: BMI: 24.24 ± 2.16 kg/m², PBF: 17.23 ± 3.79%, VFL: 4.49 ± 1.69, PBM: 47.16 ± 2.27%, MCA: 83.49 ± 5.29 cm, MCH: 97.70 ± 3.83 cm, WHR: 0.49 ± 0.03, and AHR: 0.85 ± 0.03. Correlational analysis revealed that PBM was negatively associated with PBF (r = -0.98), VFL (r = -0.84), WHR (r = -0.82), and AHR (r = -0.66). In contrast, PBF showed a positive correlation with VFL (r = 0.88), MCA (r = 0.74), WHR (r = 0.89), and AHR (r = 0.68). BMI was positively correlated with PBF (r = 0.66) and negatively with PBM (r = -0.55).

Analysis:
Overall, the cadets demonstrated healthy levels of body fat and muscle mass based on age and gender-specific references. However, the results indicate a strong association between healthy body composition (higher muscle mass and lower fat mass) and lower levels of classic cardiovascular risk indicators such as VFL, MCA, WHR, and AHR. Military training can sometimes involve practices and beliefs that negatively impact self-care, including environmental pressures and lack of nutritional education.

Conclusions:
These findings suggest the need to reconsider training programs by incorporating health education as a cross-cutting theme. This approach would enhance physical capacity while fostering a culture of self-care and disease prevention. Programs should aim to promote adequate body composition in balance with both physical and mental health as part of the military pedagogical model.

Keywords: Integral education, military training, body composition, health.