Comparison of Self-Reported Intake Versus Military Dietary Reference Intakes in Deployed Special Operations Forces...

Area of Science:

• Military Nutrition Science
• Operational Health
• Human Performance

Background:

• Special Operations Forces (SOF) Soldiers have high nutritional demands due to rigorous training and deployments.
• Inadequate nutrition can negatively impact SOF health and performance.
• Military Dietary Reference Intakes (MDRI) provide energy and nutrient guidelines, but SOF adherence during deployment is unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare self-reported nutrient intake of SOF personnel against established MDRIs during a deployment in an austere environment.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted with 40 active duty male SOF Soldiers at the end of a 6-month deployment in Afghanistan.
• A 2014 Block Food Frequency Questionnaire assessed self-reported food intake during deployment.
• One-sample t-tests compared self-reported nutrient intake to MDRIs.

Main Results:

• SOF Soldiers reported significantly lower intake of energy, carbohydrate, fiber, vitamin D, and potassium compared to MDRIs (P < .001).
• Intake of fat and protein met MDRIs (P > .05), but B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and sodium exceeded MDRIs (P ≤ .001).
• Average energy intake was 28.9 kcal/kg, carbohydrate 3.2 g/kg, protein 1.3 g/kg, and fat 1.2 g/kg relative to body mass.

Conclusions:

• Deployed SOF Soldiers may underconsume critical energy and nutrients, potentially compromising health, performance, and operational readiness.
• Tailored nutrition interventions are necessary to optimize intake, considering operational demands and food accessibility in austere settings.