UNCLASSIFIED

Update on Nutritionally Optimized First Strike Ration(NOFSR) Army Technology Objective (ATO) D.SO.2005.02

October 2008

Update on Nutritionally Optimized First Strike Ration(NOFSR) Army Technology Objective (ATO) D.SO.2005.02

October 2008

Betty DavisTeam Leader, Performance

Enhancement & Food SafetyDoD Combat Feeding Directorate

US Army Natick RD&E Center

UNCLASSIFIED

Background & PurposeBackground & Purpose

• Background:

– The FSR™ is a compact, eat-on-the-move ration designed to be consumed during short-term high-intensity missions

– The FSR™ substantially reduces the size and weight burden to the Warfighter with features designed to enhance consumption, nutritional intake, and mobility

– Components of the FSR™ include food items that are lightweight, easy to consume, and require little or no preparation

– Snacking and caffeine have individually been shown to improve physical and cognitive performance

• Purpose:

– To determine if NOFSR better sustained ability to make correct decisions (cognitive performance) and perform physical work during repeated days of physically-demanding, near-continuous military field operations

UNCLASSIFIED

Nutritionally Optimized First Strike Ration - MenusNutritionally Optimized First Strike Ration - Menus

MRE™ - XXII x 2 NOFSR Menu 1 NOFSR Menu 2

     

Weight = 1044 g Weight = 947 g Weight = 1063 g

Kcals = 2588 Kcals = 3178 Kcals = 3271

CHO = 346 g CHO = 521 g CHO = 500 g

PRO = 84 g PRO = 88 g PRO = 89 g

Caffeine = 200 mg Caffeine = 620 mg Caffeine = 626 mg

+ 700 kcal

+ 150 g

+ 400 mg

Source Material

Room for Nutritious Food

Packaging, Component Selection

2 menus that meet nutrition objectives

UNCLASSIFIED

Experimental DesignExperimental Design

• Subjects: n= 50 Marines (46 men, 4 women)

• 4-day dismounted FTX

• ½ platoon provided FSR™ (n=26); ½ platoon provided MRE™ (n = 24)

• Food consumption calculated from food logs and food waste

• Activity measured by wrist-worn actigraph

• Reaction time, logical reasoning ability, and mood measured with PDA-based tests on day 1, 3, 4 and 5 of FTX

UNCLASSIFIED

Marines at Quantico Marines at Quantico

Marines participating in PDA and saliva tests

UNCLASSIFIED

Energy Intake

Day

1 2 3 4

Kilo

calo

ries

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000Carbohydrate Intake

Day

1 2 3 4

Gra

ms

0

100

200

300

400

500

FSRMRE

Protein Intake

Day

1 2 3 410

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Energy IntakeEnergy Intake

Mean ± sd

First Strike Ration™ Group

Ate More

UNCLASSIFIED

Reaction Time

Day

1 2 3 4 5

Rea

ctio

n T

ime,

mill

isec

onds

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

FSRMRE

Minor Lapses(> 0.5 but < 3.0 sec)

Day

1 2 3 4 5#

of m

inor

laps

es0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Reaction Time Reaction Time

Mean ± se •Reaction time performance declined during FTX (= expected)

•Trend for FSR™ to better sustain performance

UNCLASSIFIED

24 hr Physical Activity24 hr Physical Activity

Sedentary

Day

1 2 3 4

Tim

e, m

inut

es

0

200

400

600

800 Light

Day

1 2 3 4

FSRMRE

Moderate

Day

1 2 3 4No difference in activity between diet groups

Mean ± sd

UNCLASSIFIED

Total Mood Score

Day

1 2 3 4 5

Sco

re

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

FSRMRE

Fatigue

Day

1 2 3 4 55

10

15

20

25Depression

Day

1 2 3 4 55

10

15

20

25

•Mood state worsened during FTX (= expected)•Trend for FSR™ to better sustain mood

MoodMood

Mean ± se

UNCLASSIFIED

Summary NOFSR ATO 1st StudySummary NOFSR ATO 1st Study

• Data supports greater food consumption with FSR™ compared to MRE™

• There are trends supporting that FSR™ items better sustains mood and alertness compared to MRE™ however, additional testing will be needed to confirm these observations

• Additional study(s) to be conducted:– To increase “n” performed in May to quantify trends– To further test the effect of NOFSR on physical performance – Target Marine Corps Basic Officer Training School for first

study and unit TBD for second (if it occurs)

UNCLASSIFIED

• Subjects: n= 39 Marines (36 men, 3 women)

• 4-day dismounted FTX

• ½ platoon provided FSR™ (n=20); ½ platoon provided MRE™ (n = 19)

• Food consumption calculated from food logs and food waste

• Activity measured by wrist-worn actigraph

• Reaction time, logical reasoning ability, and mood measured with PDA-based tests on day 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of FTX

Experimental Design (2nd Study)Experimental Design (2nd Study)

UNCLASSIFIED

NOFSR ATO 2nd StudyNOFSR ATO 2nd Study

Orientation and food distribution

Testing being conducted

UNCLASSIFIED

NOFSR ATO 2nd StudyNOFSR ATO 2nd Study

Marines during FTX

UNCLASSIFIED

NOFSR and MRE™ components not consumed during 1 day

Marines taking PDA test on last day

• PDA based cognitive testing was performed

• Implications of not eating enough was discussed during the last day

NOFSR ATO 2nd StudyNOFSR ATO 2nd Study

MRE™NOFSR

UNCLASSIFIED

SummarySummary

• Both NOFSR field tests were conducted at Quantico, VA during the Marine Corps Basic Officer Training School

• Data still supports greater food consumption with FSR™ compared to MRE™

– Marines consumed approximately 300 additional calories when consuming the NOFSR

• Overall Marines were not eating enough

– Lack of time

– Didn’t really equate food to performance

• Preliminary data from 2nd study supports trends suggesting that FSR™ items better sustain mood and alertness

• Spiral development insertions to provide the best for our Warfighter in the field