Darpa, the Pentagon’s far-out research arm, is hosting a meeting of the minds for nutritionists, doctors and developers, with the aim of creating easy-to-use gadgets that can measure key dietary indicators. The agency’s “Point of Use Nutritional Diagnostic Devices Workshop” will identify “the top 10 essential nutritional biomarkers,”  including antioxidants, vitamins and metabolites, and potential methods to monitor them in real-time.

Of course, Darpa’s long been after super-charged troops. But the agency’s previous efforts, especially their “Peak Soldier Performance” initiative, have been a lot loftier than this kind of nutrition tracking. Those projects included a study on genetic variation and attempts at manipulating mitochondria, the powerhouses of the body’s cells. But that research could take years to transform troop performance, and the military’s already struggling with soldiers more accustomed to video games and Taco Bell than wind sprints and salad bars.

With thirty-five percent of American youth deemed unfit the serve because of health reasons, the Pentagon’s pushing to boost physical fitness levels. They’ve reworked recruit training programs to minimize injuries and help troops attain baseline fitness. Meanwhile, military medical researchers have launched a study on popular regimes like CrossFit and P90X, warning that today’s troops might not be able to handle the rigorous routines.

The military’s management of troop nutrition, however, is lagging. They’re only now kicking off preliminary efforts to swap soda for electrolyte-enriched drinks and frozen yogurt for ice cream, along with cutting back on “the greasy pleasures of the short order bar,” Army Times is reporting.

It’s not uncommon for troops to pack on pounds during deployment, with even Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling — the man behind the Army’s nutritional overhaul — copping to a 20 pound weight gain that he blames on “27 different types of meals with all kinds of gravy and things that aren’t healthy for you.”

And as Darpa’s workshop announcement notes, good nutrition is about much more than just healthy body weight. Well-fueled troops will not only perform better, they’ll “minimize susceptibility to illness, infection and injury.”

But how far do you take the nutrition push? As Darpa plots 24/7 nutrition monitoring and the Army overhauls their mess hall menu, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan — himself a notorious fitness nut — is bringing fast food outlets back to military bases.

“These quality-of-life programs remain important to soldiers for stress relief,” Gen. David Petraeus writes of mainstays like Burger King and Pizza Hut, “and therefore enhancing military readiness.”

Photo: U.S. Marines

See Also:

• Military Fitness Gurus Tell Troops: You’re Too Flabby For CrossFit …
• Supercharging Soldiers’ Cells
• Military’s Disaster-Proof Cuisine ‘Tastes Like Soap’
• Baghdad’s Meals on (Armored) Wheels
• A Medal for Canada’s Frontline Donut-Vendors?

Authors: Katie Drummond

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