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

Background Special Operations Forces (SOF) Soldiers are elite warfighters who have high nutritional requirements based on the rigorous nature of their training and deployments. Inadequate nutrition can lead to diminished health and performance. Energy and nutrient guidelines for military personnel are defined in the Military Dietary Reference Intakes (MDRI). It is not known if SOF Soldiers meet the MDRIs during deployment when physical demands are high and access to quality nutrition may be limited. The objective of this study was to compare self-reported intake with established MDRIs in SOF personnel during a deployment in an austere environment. Materials and Methods This was a cross-sectional study who was conducted at the end of a 6-month deployment in Afghanistan. Active duty SOF male Soldiers (n = 40) were administered a 2014 Block Food Frequency Questionnaire to assess food intake during the deployment. Self-reported nutrient intake was compared to the MDRIs using one sample t-tests. Results Self-reported intake of energy, carbohydrate, fiber, vitamin D, and potassium were significantly lower than the MDRIs (P < .001). Intake of fat and protein met the MDRIs (P > .05), although B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and sodium all exceeded the MDRIs (P ≤ .001). Relative to body mass, average energy intake was 28.9 kcal/kg, carbohydrate was 3.2 g/kg, protein was 1.3 g/kg, and fat was 1.2 g/kg. Conclusions Deployed SOF Soldiers may under consume energy and key nutrients, which could jeopardize health, performance, and operational readiness. Tailored nutrition interventions with consideration of operational demands and food/supplement accessibility may be needed to optimize energy and nutrient intake in austere environments.