Nutrient Composition of Rations for Short-Term, High-Intensity Combat Operations

Recognizing the importance of good nutrition for physical and mental status, theDepartment of Defense asked the Institute of Medicine to guide the design of thenutritional composition of a ration for soldiers on short-term, high-stress missions.Nutrient Composition of Rations for Short-Term, High-Intensity Combat Operations considersmilitary performance, health concerns, food intake, energy expenditure, physicalexercise, and food technology issues. The success of military operations dependsto a large extent on the physical and mental status of the individuals involved.Appropriate nutrition during assault missions is a continuous challenge mainly dueto diminished appetites of individuals under stress. Many less controllable andunpredictable factors, such as individual preferences and climate, come into play toreduce appetite. In fact, soldiers usually consume about half of the calories needed,leaving them in a state called "negative energy balance." The consequences ofbeing in negative energy balance while under these circumstances range fromweight loss to fatigue to mental impairments. An individual''s physiological andnutritional status can markedly affect one''s ability to maximize performance duringmissions and may compromise effectiveness. With the number of these missionsincreasing, the optimization of rations has become a high priority.