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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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Modifying foodservice practices in military dining facilities could influence ad libitum nutritional intake patterns of soldiers. Objective: We aimed to determine how changes in foodservice operations consistent with 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans affected soldiers' ad libitum nutritional intake in military dining facilities (DFACs). Design: Ten DFACs participated, and the intervention was implemented in five DFACs in an independently sampled, partial crossover design. Nutrient intake of diners was assessed during a test meal using digital photography, and customer satisfaction with foodservice was assessed via surveys at baseline (n=602), and again at 6 months (n=519) and 12 months (n=458) after the intervention was implemented. Participants: Volunteers were US Army active duty soldiers recruited from among diners at 10 DFACs on Fort Bragg, NC. Main outcome measures: Primary outcomes were intakes of energy and total fat, and percent energy from fat and saturated fat. Differences between diners' intakes in control and intervention DFACs were assessed using independent samples t tests. Results: At 6 months after implementing the intervention, diners at intervention DFACs had significantly lower lunchtime intakes of energy (945±338 kcal vs 1,061±380 kcal), total fat (38±19 g vs 47±25 g), percent energy from fat (35%±10% vs 39%±11%) and saturated fat (4.7%±1.7% vs 5.6%±2.3%), discretionary fat (30±18 g vs 39±24 g), and refined grains (2.3±1.7 oz equivalents vs 2.8±2.4 oz equivalents) compared with diners at control DFACs. Further, diners at intervention DFACs rated customer satisfaction higher than diners at control DFACs. Conclusions: These findings suggest that modest changes in military DFAC serving practices to promote healthy eating and food selection can facilitate positive changes in soldiers' nutritional intake. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Enhancing dietary omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 HUFA) intake may confer neuroprotection, brain resiliency, improve wound healing and promote cardiovascular health. This study determined the efficacy of substituting a few common foods (chicken meat, chicken sausage, eggs, salad dressings, pasta sauces, cooking oil, mayonnaise, and peanut butter) lower in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 PUFA) and higher in n-3 HUFA in a dining facility on blood fatty acid profile. An eight-week prospective, between-subjects (n = 77), repeated measures, parallel-arm trial was conducted. Participants self-selected foods consumed from conventionally produced foods (control), or those lower n-6 PUFA and higher n-3 HUFA versions (intervention). Changes in blood omega-3 index, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), n-6 PUFA, lipid profile, and food satisfaction were main outcomes. Between-group differences over time were assessed using a linear mixed model to measure the effect of diet on blood serum fatty acids and inflammatory markers. The intervention group achieved a higher omega-3 index score (3.66 ± 0.71 vs. 2.95 ± 0.77; p < 0.05), lower total n-6 (10.1 ± 4.6 vs. 15.3 ± 6.7 µg/mL; p < 0.05), and higher serum concentration of EPA (5.0 ± 1.31 vs. 4.05 ± 1.56 µg/mL; p < 0.05) vs. controls. Satisfaction in intervention foods improved or remained consistent. Substitution of commonly eaten dining facility foods with like-items higher in DHA and EPA and lower in n-6 PUFA can favorably impact fatty acid status and the omega-3 index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]