Energy expenditure, nutritional status, body composition and physical fitness of Royal Marines during a 6-month operational deployment in Afghanistan

• DOI: 10.1017/s0007114514001524
• Publication Date: 2014-07-09T13:34:47Z
• Authors: Joanne L. Fallowf...; Simon K. Delves; Neil E. Hill; Rosalyn Cobley; Pieter Brown; Susan A. Lanham-New; Gary Frost; Stephen J. Brett; Kevin G. Murphy; Scott J. Montain; Christopher Nicho...; Michael Stacey; Christian Ardley; Anneliese Shaw; Conor Bentley; Duncan R. Wilson; Adrian J. Allsopp
• Keywords: Aerobic Exercise; Military deployment

Understanding the nutritional demands on serving military personnel is critical to inform training schedules and dietary provision. Troops deployed Afghanistan face austere living working environments. Observations from those reported in British US media indicated possible physical degradation of Afghanistan. Therefore, present study aimed investigate changes body composition status how these were related fitness. In a cohort Royal Marines ( n 249) for 6 months, size estimated mass, height, girth skinfold measurements. Energy intake (EI) was food diaries energy expenditure measured using doubly labelled water method representative subgroup. Strength aerobic fitness assessed. The mean mass volunteers decreased over first half deployment − 4·6 sd 3·7) %), predominately reflecting fat loss. Body partially recovered (mean +2·2 2·9) %) between mid- post-deployment periods P < 0·05). Daily EI 10 590 3339) kJ) significantly lower than daily 15 167 1883) subgroup volunteers. However, despite loss, strength well maintained. Nutritional provision appeared sufficient maintain capability micronutrient status, but providing appropriate nutrition harsh operational environments must remain priority.