Overview of United States Army Medical Service Research in Nutrition

Within the United States Army structure regarding nutrition, it is the overall responsibility of the Army Materiel Command to provide adequate rations to troops throughout
the world. The responsibilities of the Surgeon General are to evaluate the nutritional
adequacy of rations, the wholesomeness of foods provided, and to study the relationships
of diet to the nutritional status and performance of the soldiers. The Army Medical Service Research and Development Command assists the Surgeon General in this latter function
by carrying out nutritional surveys and research programs in diet and overall nutrition.
Surveys of the actual diet consumed by troops have been performed, and assistance to
Interdepartmental Committee on Nutrition for National Defense has been provided. These
provide information on which both the Surgeon General and the Army Materiel Command
can judge the actual utilization of food and military rations. Other programs relating to
diet and food intake relate to the wholesomeness of irradiated food, the development of an
intravenous alimentation, the nutritional adequacy of algae and of cellulose, as well as
evaluation of the presence of trace elements and vitamins in the diet as actually consumed.
Research programs relating to energy metabolism and performance include studies in body
composition; the loss of nutrients in sweat; the relationship of protein requirements to
stress, infection, and work ; and the effect of varying periodicity of food consumption.
The purpose of this presentation is to indicate general areas of Army Medical Service
interest in nutrition and to denote that programs and technical competence exist within
the Army Medical Service Research and Development Command which may be of interest
or of assistance to researchers in this field.