Military Strategies for Sustainment of Nutrition and Immune Function in the Field

Abstract

The serpent has been a symbol of long life, healing, and knowledge among almost all cultures and religions since the beginning of recorded history. The image adopted as a logotype by the Institute of Medicine is based on a relief carving from ancient Greece, now held by the Staatliche Museen in Berlin.Cover: Resting monocyte/macrophage being activated to produce proinflammatory cytokines which form complexes with receptor binding proteins. Adapted from COMMITTEE ON MILITARY NUTRITION RESEARCHROBERT O. NESHEIM (Chair, through June 30, 1998) (FNB), Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences. Other workshops or symposia have included such topics as food components to enhance performance; nutritional needs in hot, cold, and high-altitude environments; body composition and physical performance; nutrition and physical performance; cognitive testing methodology; and fluid replacement and heat stress. These workshops form part of the response that the CMNR provides to the Commander, U. HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEEThe CMNR was established in October 1982 following a request by the Assistant Surgeon General of the Army that the Board on Military Supplies of the National Academy of Sciences set up a special committee. The purpose of this committee was to advise the U.S. Department of Defense on the need for and conduct of nutrition research and related issues. The CMNR was transferred to the FNB in 1983. The CMNR's current tasks are• to identify nutritional factors that may critically influence the physical and mental performance of military personnel under all environmental extremes,• to identify deficiencies in the existing database, • to recommend research that would remedy these deficiencies as well as approaches for studying the relationship of diet to physical and mental performance, and• to review and advise on standards for military feeding systems.Within this context, the CMNR was asked to focus on nutrient requirements for performance during operational missions rather than requirements for military personnel in garrison (the latter were judged to be not significantly different from those of the civilian population).Although the membership of the committee has changed periodically, the disciplines represented consistently have included human nutrition, nutritional biochemistry, performance physiology, food science, and psychology. For issues that require broader expertise than exists within the committee, the CMNR has convened workshops or utilized consultants. The workshops provide additional state-of-the-art scientific information and informed opinion for the consideration of the committee. COMMITTEE TASKS AND PROCEDURESThe request for this review of nutrition and immune function and its application to military operations originated with Army scientists from USARIEM and USAMRMC. In December 1995, a committee subgroup of the CMNR participated in a series of conference calls with USARIEM, USAMRMC, and other CMNR members to identify the key areas that should be reviewed and to solicit suggestions for names...