Introduction:

Correctly feeding soldiers is key to maintaining health and good performance. Obesity is currently a public health problem classified as the "epidemic of the century". Objective to identify the nutritional risk factors associated with overweight and obesity in a Mexican Army Brigade.

Material and methods:

The strength of association between nutritional risk factors and the development of overweight and obesity was determined. The association was made using X2 and OR, and the difference in means with the Z test.

Results:

Different differences between cases and controls in the consumption of calories (z = 9.34, P <0.01), proteins (z = 10.22, P <0.01), fats (z = 8.84, P <0.0) and carbohydrates (z = 7.04, P <0.01). Consumption of vegetables and fruits <1 time / week and consumption of sugary drinks> 1 time / week were risk factors for developing overweight and obesity (X2 = 4,406; p = 0.036; OR = 2.1), (X2 = 5.6 ; p = 0.018; OR = 2.25), (X2 = 7.368; p = 0.007; OR = 4.5), respectively. Failure to consume the highest amount of calories in the dining room and the fact that the cafeteria and the street are the site of the highest calorie consumption were risk factors (X2 = 14.44; p = 0.000; OR = 4.3), (X2 = 13.74; p = 0.000; OR = 5.56) and (X2 = 6.375; p = 0.012; OR = 4.12), respectively.

Conclusions:

Consumption less than or equal to once a week of vegetables and fruits, consumption of sugary drinks more than once a week, consumption of the greatest number of calories in the cafeteria and the street and non-consumption of the greatest amount of calories in the dining room were risk factors for developing overweight-obesity.