The Effects of Prolonged Feeding Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) Operational Rations
The Effects of Prolonged Feeding Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) Operational Rations

Author: E. Hirsch

Publisher:

Published: 1984

Total Pages: 374

ISBN-13:

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The US Army Natick Research and Development Center conducted a study to evaluate the effects of prolonged feeding Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) operational rations on troop effectiveness. Two combat support companies, from the 25th Infantry Division, participated in this 34-day study while they were engaged in a field training exercise at the Pohakuloa Training Area on the Island of Hawaii. One company subsisted solely on MRE rations. The other company was fed an A ration breakfast, an MRE lunch, and an A ration dinner. The MRE food items were highly rated by the troops but these foods were not consumed in sufficient quantity. Average daily caloric intake was 2,189 calories per day for the MRE group and 2,950 calories per day for the control group. The major consequences of the low food intakes were body weight loss and some vitamin and mineral intakes that were below recommended levels. The MRE group lost 8.1 pounds and the control group lost 4.6 pounds. Both groups had intakes of niacin and magnesium that were below recommended levels. The MRE group also consumed less riboflavin, calcium, and iron than recommended. The other measures that were taken to evaluate the consequences of prolonged feeding the MRE did not reveal any major differences between the two companies. Questionairres on physical symptoms, mood morale and perceptions of leadership showed only minor differences between the two companies. The performance of the two companies did not differ on a test battery of cognitive and psychomotor tasks.

Not Eating Enough
Not Eating Enough

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1995-09-01

Total Pages: 497

ISBN-13: 0309176107

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Eating enough food to meet nutritional needs and maintain good health and good performance in all aspects of lifeâ€"both at home and on the jobâ€"is important for all of us throughout our lives. For military personnel, however, this presents a special challenge. Although soldiers typically have a number of options for eating when stationed on a base, in the field during missions their meals come in the form of operational rations. Unfortunately, military personnel in training and field operations often do not eat their rations in the amounts needed to ensure that they meet their energy and nutrient requirements and consequently lose weight and potentially risk loss of effectiveness both in physical and cognitive performance. This book contains 20 chapters by military and nonmilitary scientists from such fields as food science, food marketing and engineering, nutrition, physiology, psychology, and various medical specialties. Although described within a context of military tasks, the committee's conclusions and recommendations have wide-reaching implications for people who find that job-related stress changes their eating habits.

Committee on Military Nutrition Research
Committee on Military Nutrition Research

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1999-08-04

Total Pages: 303

ISBN-13: 0309172764

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The activities of the Food and Nutrition Board's Committee on Military Nutrition Research (CMNR, the committee) have been supported since 1994 by grant DAMD17-94-J-4046 from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC). This report fulfills the final reporting requirement of the grant, and presents a summary of activities for the grant period from December 1, 1994 through May 31, 1999. During this grant period, the CMNR has met from three to six times each year in response to issues that are brought to the committee through the Military Nutrition and Biochemistry Division of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine at Natick, Massachusetts, and the Military Operational Medicine Program of USAMRMC at Fort Detrick, Maryland. The CMNR has submitted five workshop reports (plus two preliminary reports), including one that is a joint project with the Subcommittee on Body Composition, Nutrition, and Health of Military Women; three letter reports, and one brief report, all with recommendations, to the Commander, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, since September 1995 and has a brief report currently in preparation. These reports are summarized in the following activity report with synopses of additional topics for which reports were deferred pending completion of military research in progress. This activity report includes as appendixes the conclusions and recommendations from the nine reports and has been prepared in a fashion to allow rapid access to committee recommendations on the topics covered over the time period.

Nutritional Needs in Cold and High-Altitude Environments
Nutritional Needs in Cold and High-Altitude Environments

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1996-05-15

Total Pages: 584

ISBN-13: 0309175593

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This book reviews the research pertaining to nutrient requirements for working in cold or in high-altitude environments and states recommendations regarding the application of this information to military operational rations. It addresses whether, aside from increased energy demands, cold or high-altitude environments elicit an increased demand or requirement for specific nutrients, and whether performance in cold or high-altitude environments can be enhanced by the provision of increased amounts of specific nutrients.

Military Food Engineering and Ration Technology
Military Food Engineering and Ration Technology

Author: Ann H. Barrett

Publisher: DEStech Publications, Inc

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 506

ISBN-13: 1605950491

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Written by a team from the U.S. Army's Combat Feeding Directorate at the Natick Research, Development and Engineering Center, this technical volume represents a comprehensive guide to how the military designs, processes, customizes, packages and distributes highly palatable, long shelf-life food products for field personnel. The book offers new data on numerous technologies used to solve problems such as nutrient densification, lightweighting, novel thermal processing, and long-term quality preservation in delivering appetizing foods and more. Testing techniques are explained for evaluating sensory qualities of foods and their effects on physical and cognitive performance.

Food Components to Enhance Performance
Food Components to Enhance Performance

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1994-02-01

Total Pages: 560

ISBN-13: 030905088X

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The physiological or psychological stresses that employees bring to their workplace affect not only their own performance but that of their co-workers and others. These stresses are often compounded by those of the job itself. Medical personnel, firefighters, police, and military personnel in combat settingsâ€"among othersâ€"experience highly unpredictable timing and types of stressors. This book reviews and comments on the performance-enhancing potential of specific food components. It reflects the views of military and non-military scientists from such fields as neuroscience, nutrition, physiology, various medical specialties, and performance psychology on the most up-to-date research available on physical and mental performance enhancement in stressful conditions. Although placed within the context of military tasks, the volume will have wide-reaching implications for individuals in any job setting.

Not Eating Enough
Not Eating Enough

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1995-10-01

Total Pages: 498

ISBN-13: 0309053412

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Eating enough food to meet nutritional needs and maintain good health and good performance in all aspects of lifeâ€"both at home and on the jobâ€"is important for all of us throughout our lives. For military personnel, however, this presents a special challenge. Although soldiers typically have a number of options for eating when stationed on a base, in the field during missions their meals come in the form of operational rations. Unfortunately, military personnel in training and field operations often do not eat their rations in the amounts needed to ensure that they meet their energy and nutrient requirements and consequently lose weight and potentially risk loss of effectiveness both in physical and cognitive performance. This book contains 20 chapters by military and nonmilitary scientists from such fields as food science, food marketing and engineering, nutrition, physiology, psychology, and various medical specialties. Although described within a context of military tasks, the committee's conclusions and recommendations have wide-reaching implications for people who find that job-related stress changes their eating habits.

The Role of Protein and Amino Acids in Sustaining and Enhancing Performance
The Role of Protein and Amino Acids in Sustaining and Enhancing Performance

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1999-09-15

Total Pages: 448

ISBN-13: 0309172810

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It is a commonly held belief that athletes, particularly body builders, have greater requirements for dietary protein than sedentary individuals. However, the evidence in support of this contention is controversial. This book is the latest in a series of publications designed to inform both civilian and military scientists and personnel about issues related to nutrition and military service. Among the many other stressors they experience, soldiers face unique nutritional demands during combat. Of particular concern is the role that dietary protein might play in controlling muscle mass and strength, response to injury and infection, and cognitive performance. The first part of the book contains the committee's summary of the workshop, responses to the Army's questions, conclusions, and recommendations. The remainder of the book contains papers contributed by speakers at the workshop on such topics as, the effects of aging and hormones on regulation of muscle mass and function, alterations in protein metabolism due to the stress of injury or infection, the role of individual amino acids, the components of proteins, as neurotransmitters, hormones, and modulators of various physiological processes, and the efficacy and safety considerations associated with dietary supplements aimed at enhancing performance.