Assessment of dietary intakes of cadets at the US Military Academy at West Point.

OBJECTIVE: A study was conducted at the US Military Academy, West Point, NY, to assess the nutritional adequacy of menus and dietary intakes of the cadets and to determine the effect of the optional weekday evening meal policy on nutrient intakes. METHODS: Dietary intakes were obtained over a 7-day period using a diary-interview technique. Volunteer cadets, 118 males and 86 females, recorded their own intakes and were interviewed by dietitians to verify food records. Cadets were categorized by gender and divided into three groups based on whether they consumed 0-1, 2-3, or 4-5 weekday evening meals in the Cadet Mess. RESULTS: Multivariate methods were used to assess compliance with Military Recommended Dietary Allowances (MRDA) and nutrient densities as well as the role of gender, number of weekday evening meals consumed in the West Point Cadet Mess, and the use of nutritional supplements during the study week. The number of weekday evening meals consumed in the Cadet Mess, was positively correlated with the nutrient intakes of the cadet groups. The female 0-1 group had the highest proportion of individuals with mean intakes providing < 70% MRDA for vitamin B6, folate, vitamin A, magnesium, or zinc. Snacks provided from 24% to 32% of the energy intakes of the female groups and were often substituted for meals, particularly by cadets who ate the fewest meals in the Cadet Mess. CONCLUSIONS: Diet counseling is recommended to help these cadets choose more nutritious meals and snacks. University and college students that choose not to purchase some of their meals from campus dining facilities could have similar dietary intake patterns and nutritional shortcomings.

Effects of reduced fat intake on serum lipids in healthy young men and women at the U.S. Military Academy.

To assess the benefits of Army nutrition initiatives reducing intakes of fat and cholesterol, the authors studied the dietary intakes of cadets at the U.S. Military Academy and compared these results and related nutritional indicators (body composition, serum lipid status) to data obtained one decade earlier. The regular Cadet Mess menu provided 16.6 MJ/day of energy with 34% derived from fat. Actual intakes, including supplements, averaged 14.9 +/- 2.9 and 9.7 +/- 2.1 MJ/day for 119 male and 86 female cadets, respectively. Most cadets derived < 35% of energy from dietary fat (11% from saturated fatty acids), representing a significant reduction since the previous study, in which nearly one-third of cadets received 40 to 45% of calories from fats; cholesterol intakes were markedly reduced. Serum cholesterol levels were approximately 7% lower, but were less affected than predicted by the reductions in fat and cholesterol intakes; serum low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol was also significantly reduced. Fasting serum insulin correlated with saturated fat intake in female cadets, indicating another health risk factor affected by intakes. The authors conclude that nutrition initiatives reducing energy derived from fats and total cholesterol intake have had a beneficial effect on the nutritional status of this fit young population.

Food technology problems related to space feeding.

The development of foods suitable for extraterrestrial consumption posed unique problems. Limitations on weight, volume and stability of space food together with the lack of refrigeration favored the use of dehydrated foods on Gemini and Apollo menus. Environmental constraints, cabin pressures of 1/3 atmosphere with exposure of the food assembly to the vacuum of space in conjunction with extravehicular activities and zero gravity required special packaging and adaptation of foods considered suitable for space flight use. Requirements for acceptable, familiar, crumb free, low residue, non-gas producing, stable foods added to the complexity of the developmental effort. Four basic approaches: semisolid foods in metal tubes, dehydrated bite-size foods to be eaten dry, dehydrated foods to be reconstituted before eating and flexibly packaged thermostabilized wet meat products have been utilized in the feeding systems developed for Projects Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. The development of each type posed many interesting technologic problems. Data from current Apollo flights have pointed to certain deficiencies which still remain to be corrected. Work is progressing to eliminate current problems and to provide feeding systems suitable for both short-term and long-term space flights.