U.S. Army Fights Fat with Nutrition

American soldiers should be in top physical form and health-conscious, right? Not necessarily so, but nutrition is becoming a priority in the military, as discussed in a recent article written by Alan Scher Zagier of the Huffington Post.

Mess halls in training sites across the country are changing the way the military eats. Juice and milk are replacing soda fountains, while whole grains are beginning to dominate white bread and pasta. Items are color-coded to more easily distinguish healthy foods from junk food, also making it easier for drill sergeants to call out soldiers who didn’t take enough healthy food items from the serving line.

Many of the newer soldiers have never had an awareness of nutrition before now. Maybe that’s not so surprising, given the state of our obese country. Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri became the first mess hall in the country to introduce this new, healthier approach.

Besides the food transformation, there will also be an emphasis on fitness and an overall healthy lifestyle. The “soldier athlete” initiative is designed to prepare recruits with training methods similar to those of elite athletes- including greater use of professional trainers, physical therapists, and strength and conditioning coaches. There will also be a greater focus on injury prevention, flexibility and mobility, coordination and aerobic endurance. Workouts will focus more on core strengthening, similar to routines practiced in aerobics classes.

Drill sergeants have also begun to include one-hour sessions on performance nutrition in addition to more traditional workouts. This just goes to show how vital proper eating is in the overall scheme of physical performance, endurance, and health.

Army food was never considered to be especially nutritious, and was average at best. The food offered to the army didn’t take obesity or other health risks into account. But, much like school food offerings, Army food is also changing in a positive way.

Some of the same, less nutritious, food will still be available to soldiers, but with healthier options as well. Drill sergeants are tough on their soldiers who don’t take enough fruits or vegetables, or take two cups of coffee without a glass of water.

So far, this program has been introduced to five training sites – Fort Leonard Wood; Fort Sill, OK; Fort Benning, GA; Fort Jackson, SC; and Fort Knox, KY. The menu changes should be in place by February.

The results of this program are being carefully monitored and army leaders have so far reported fewer injuries and higher scores on physical fitness tests. To date the changes are limited to basic and advance training sites, but expansion to other sites is definitely a consideration. Meanwhile, soldiers at other sites will still receive typical military food, as well as fast food.