Nutritional Needs in Hot Environments Applications for Military Personnel in Field Operations (1993) / Chapter Skim
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11. Situational Influences on Food Intake
11. Situational Influences on Food Intake
Pages 215-244
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From page 215... ...
The picture that emerges is that under combat conditions troops consume sufficient food to avoid frank nutritional disease but do not consume enough food to meet their energy needs, and some weight loss occurs. THE UNDERCONSUMPTION PROBLEM During the past 10 years, the full range of current military rations has been rigorously tested under various field and climatic conditions by the 1 Edward S
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From page 216... ...
Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine. With one instructive exception, these studies have uniformly found that energy intake in the field is not sufficient, and weight loss occurs.
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From page 217... ...
Entree Other Components Pork sausage patty, freeze-dehydrated; catsup, dehydrated; applesauce; crackers 2 3 4 Ham/chicken loaf; strawberries, freezedehydrated; crackers Beef patty, freeze-dehydrated; soup and gravy base; beans with tomato sauce; crackers Beef slices with barbecue sauce; crackers; peanut butter; cookie, chocolate-covered Beef stew; crackers; peanut butter; fruit, mixed, freeze-dehydrated Frankfurters; catsup, dehydrated; beans with tomato sauce; crackers Cheese spread; cookies, chocolate-covered; cocoa beverage powder Peanut butter; pineapple nut cake Cheese spread; brownies, chocolate-covered; candy Peaches, freeze-dehydrated; candy Cherry nut cake; cocoa beverage powder Jelly; candy; cocoa beverage powder 7 Turkey, diced with gravy; potato patty, Maple nut cake; candy freeze-dehydrated; beans with tomato sauce; crackers 8 Beef, diced with gravy; beans with tomato Cheese spread; brownie, sauce; crackers chocolate-covered 9 Cooked beef or chicken ~ la king; catsup, Fruitcake; cocoa beverage dehydrated; crackers; cheese spread powder 10 Meatballs with barbecue sauce; potato patty, Jelly; chocolate nut freeze-dehydrated; crackers cake; cocoa beverage powder 11 Ham slices; crackers; cheese spread; Orange nut roll; cocoa peaches, freeze-dehydrated beverage powder 12 Chicken loaf or ground beef with spiced sauce; Cookies, chocolate-covered; crackers; peanut butter; strawberries, candy freeze-dehydrated NOTE: All menus include instant coffee; dry, nondairy cream substitute; granulated sugar; salt; and candy-coated chewing gum. Nonfood components are spoon, matches, and toilet paper.
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From page 218... ...
218 ~ ~ ~ (~N cN _ _ Ce C<: Ct Cal ~ — C)
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From page 220... ...
LABORATORY AND FIELD DIFFERENCES The impetus for the initial laboratory study of the MRE arose because this ration had never been tested as the sole source of food for extended periods of time. Military planners and logisticians would like to be able to provide only packaged operational rations to troops for prolonged time periods.
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From page 221... ...
At these levels of food intake the control group showed a slightly positive energy balance and gained 0.68 kg over the six weeks of the study whereas the MRE group showed a slightly negative energy balance and lost 0.69 kg. The group differences in energy intake are not readily accounted for by differences in food acceptability, as measure by hedonic ratings.
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From page 222... ...
Level of intake in the field was similar to the level previously observed in a field test with a prototype version of the MRE that was very similar to MRE VIII in a temperate environment (Popper et al., 19871. The large difference in food intake when the MRE VIII was fed to troops in the field compared to troops in a garrison dining hall replicates our earlier finding of about a 1000 calorie difference in intake when the MRE IV was fed to students in a dining room relative to troops in the field.
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From page 223... ...
Table 11-3 shows the level of caloric intake they have observed in five studies of this type where troops were provided with three A-ration meals per day. In contrast to operational rations, such as the MRE, which are designed to be eaten hot or cold from shelf-stable, packaged components, A-ration meals consist of fresh foods, prepared and cooked in the field.
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From page 224... ...
Perhaps the higher A-ration intake in the field occurred because in these unusual circumstances feeding was in some sense easier and more convenient than even in the garrison dining facility. The observed weight gain in a field setting with A-rations is also in marked contrast to the typical weight loss of 1-2 kg in an MRE field trial of comparable duration.
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From page 225... ...
Further, a consideration of these variables probably will provide insight into the factors that influence the initiation, continuation, and termination of feeding by troops in the field and in combat. Reflecting on the events involved in preparing, consuming, and cleaning up from a meal of operational rations in the field indicates that a series of time-consuming and effortful actions may be required.
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From page 226... ...
Thus, subjects were willing to sacrifice intake of more desirable foods to maintain overall intake but not to the extent of completely eliminating the preferred items. Water intake is also sensitive to the effort associated with obtaining it during a luncheon meal (Engell and Hirsch, 19911.
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From page 227... ...
Marines fed MRE VIII were provided with different heating methods. One group was given a canteen cup stand and a more
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From page 228... ...
A second group was given ration heater pads an alloy/polymer composite that reacts with water to produce heat to heat both food items and water. The third group was given an Optimus Hiker Stove, which is
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From page 229... ...
A final questionnaire revealed that the two individual heating methods were viewed as more convenient than the group method, but the two individual methods differed with respect to their effectiveness and ease of heating food or water. The canteen cup stand was viewed as more effective for water, and the ration heater pad was best for entrees.
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From page 230... ...
Caloric intake in meals eaten with others averaged 44 percent more than meals eaten alone (de Castro and de Castro, 1989~. He also found that social facilitation of eating is apparent not only in comparing eating alone to eating with others but also in comparing groups of different sizes (de Castro and de Castro, 1989~.
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From page 231... ...
(1979) recruited subjects to eat a meal with 3000 2950 2900 _ 2850a u: o 27006 2650 2600 2500 NONE ONE OR TWO NUMBER OF MEALS EATEN SOCIALLY ALL FIGURE 11-5 Mean daily caloric intake as a function of the number of daily meals eaten in a social group in troops fed T-rations.
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From page 232... ...
classic method have consistently found a marked effect of social pressure on behavior in a group but little evidence to suggest that private attitudes or behavior are changed. This distinction between the impact of social influences on food attitudes versus eating behavior is provided by Smith (1961)
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From page 233... ...
SITUATIONAL INFLUENCES ON INTAKE 1200 ~ _ 1100 1000 800 POSITIVE 233 ~1 ~ . NEGATIVE CONDITION FIGURE 11-6 Mean caloric intake in a luncheon meal following negative or positive comments at the start of the meal.
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From page 234... ...
MATTHEW KRAMER 4-6 -8 - . PC~T1VE CONDITION LATHE FIGURE 11-7 Mean change in acceptability on a 100-mm visual analogue scale of food consumed in a lunch meal following negative or positive comments at the start of the meal.
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From page 235... ...
o 600 400 . OS:00 · BREAKFAST MENU E3 LUNCH MENU ~1 ~ME 12:00 FIGURE 11-8 Mean caloric intake in meals as a function of time of day and type of food.
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From page 236... ...
It is possible to translate these themes into recommendations that are relevant to troops living and working in hot weather environments, with the caveat that there is limited information concerning the specific effects of situational factors on human food intake to strongly support particular conclusions. The general conceptual model posited here says that whatever makes eating in the field easier and less constrained will enhance consumption.
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From page 237... ...
Riley Non-Commissioned Officer Academy Dining Facility. Technical Report 14-87.
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From page 238... ...
Sharpe 1987 Evaluation of the ration cold weather during a 10-day cold weather field training exercise. Natick Technical Report TR-87/030.
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From page 239... ...
Askew 1988 A comparison of the meal, ready-to-eat, ration, cold weather and ration, light weight nutrient intakes during moderate altitude cold weather field training opera tions. Technical Report T5-89.
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From page 240... ...
Lewis military-operated garrison dining facility. Technical Report T2-88.
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From page 241... ...
Since the first MRE test, we have been trying to line up a field study where troop commanders would allow us to schedule meals and provide ample time for eating. Even during a training exercise, troop commanders don't want to relinquish that kind of control and impose that lack of flexibility on themselves.
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From page 243... ...
SITUATIONAL INFLUENCES ON INTAKE 243 And fortunately, the product was good enough that with this version of the MRE, his troops endorsed it and he went along. But the senior leadership effect is very dramatic.
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