1. Performance Nutrition Dining Facility Intervention Improves Special Operations Soldiers' Diet Quality and Meal Satisfaction.
- Author
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Cole RE, Bukhari AS, Champagne CM, McGraw SM, Hatch AM, and Montain SJ
- Subjects
- Adult, Feeding Behavior, Female, Humans, Male, Meals, Military Facilities, North Carolina, Young Adult, Diet statistics & numerical data, Health Promotion methods, Military Personnel, Personal Satisfaction
- Abstract
Objective: To assess the impact of the Special Operations Forces Human Performance Program dining facility (DFAC) intervention on patron diet quality and meal satisfaction., Design: Nonrandomized, controlled time series study using digital food photography and surveys pre-post intervention (0, 4, 8, and 12 months)., Setting: Two Fort Bragg, NC military installation DFACs., Participants: Volunteers (n = 688 total; n = 573 complete dataset) were US Army active duty soldiers., Intervention: The DFAC intervention included food choice architecture, new performance-optimizing food recipes to increase nutrient density, revised menus to offer more performance foods daily, and nutrition labeling to influence food choice., Main Outcome Measures: Daily DFAC nutrient intake and Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2010 scores., Analysis: Descriptive and ANOVA statistical analyses were performed between control and intervention groups and from baseline to 4, 8, and 12 months postintervention (α = .05; 80% power)., Results: The intervention resulted in a higher posttest HEI score (60.1 ± 8.8 points; +3.4%; P = .005) and DFAC satisfaction compared with control (49.0 ± 10.4 points; P > .05). Improved intervention HEI scores were attributed to changes in citrus and melon fruit (+46%), red and orange vegetables (+35%), whole grains (+181%), legumes (65%), yogurt (+45%), oils (-26%), and solid fat (-18%) consumption (all P < .05)., Conclusions and Implications: These data illustrate that the Special Operations Forces Human Performance Program military DFAC nutrition intervention was feasible to implement and was associated with diet quality improvements. Access to high-quality ingredients and recipes may improve soldier meal quality and acceptance in other settings and warrants further investigation., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)
- Published
- 2018
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