Dietary Requirements' Review for The
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DIETARY REQUIREMENTS’ REVIEW FOR THE SAF CHAN Yong Jiet Grace ABSTRACT To promulgate a culture of healthy eating in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the nutrition standards for military feeding uses the Recommended Dietary Allowances based on nutrient reference values recommended by the Singapore Health Promotion Board, the World Health Organisation as well as recommended military nutritional requirements for the Australian Defence Force and US Army. DSTA, in partnership with the SAF’s Headquarters Supply, Army Medical Services and Army Fitness Centre, reviewed the SAF dietary requirements as part of continuous efforts to ensure that SAF servicemen are provided with the appropriate amount of nutrients and calories for differing training requirments and encourage healthier choices in cookhouse dishes. Keywords: ration, nutrition, recommended dietary allowance INTRODUCTION RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCES Effective training is founded on the basis of proper nutrition, prevention of overtraining and adequate recovery. It is thus The RDA is a nutrient and energy standards established for the important for active military personnel to meet their energy different categories of servicemen involved in various physical intake requirements through a well-designed diet plan. The activities due to their varied training needs (see Table 1). The current Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Recommended RDA is dependent on the estimated daily energy expenditure of Dietary Allowances (RDA) caters for sufficient energy, dietary the servicemen based on their training activities as determined carbohydrate and protein sources to support SAF training by the Army Fitness Centre and Army Medical Services. and operations. This standard is based largely on the nutrient The SAF RDA is applicable to local and overseas training reference values recommended by the Singapore Health requirements, having undergone a revision in 2011 by subject Promotion Board (HPB) and the World Health Organisation matter experts from DSTA, the SAF’s Headquarters Supply, (WHO). In addition, it is also within the ranges of recommended Army Medical Services and Army Fitness Centre to align it with military nutritional requirements for the Australian Defence the recommendation of HPB. Force (ADF) and US Army. 40 DSTA HORIZONS | 2016 Daily Recommended Dietary Allowance (Activity Based) Nutrients Highly Very Highly Normal Active Active Active Energy (kcal) 2500 3000 3500 4000 Carbohydrate 359 473 560 645 (g) Protein (g) 94 95 96 105 Fat (g) Up to 76 Up to 81 Up to 97 Up to 111 Cholesterol (mg) Not more than 300 Calcium (mg) ≥ 800 Iron (mg) ≥ 6 Vitamin A (µg) ≥ 750 Vitamin B1 (mg) ≥ 1.18 Vitamin B2 (mg) ≥ 1.77 Vitamin C (mg) ≥ 30 Fibre (g) 25 to 30 Salt (mg) Up to 4600 Table 1. Daily recommended dietary allowance for the SAF Table 1. Daily recommended dietary allowance for the SAF APPROACH TO ESTIMATING ENERGY REQUIREMENTS Basis for Categorising Physical Activity Level In the SAF, the Compendium of Physical Activities (CPA)1 was used to aid in establishing the corresponding rate of energy expenditure of various military APPROACH TO ESTIMATINGactivities based on dailyENERGY averages. Daily Energy Requirements REQUIREMENTSDaily Recommended Dietary Allowance (Activity Based) Nutrients To ensure that the estimated energy requirements for the respective Physical Highly Very Highly Energy requirements is the amount of food energy needed Normal ActiveActivity Levels (PAL) closely matches national and international standards, the SAF PALActive was benchmarkedActive against thatto ofbalance HPB, WHO energy, ADF expenditure and the US inArmy order to maintain body BasisEnergy ( kcalfor) Categorising2500 3000 Physical3500 Activity4000 Carbohydrate (see Table 2). 359 473 560 645 composition and a level of necessary and desirable physical Level(g) activity consistent with long-term good health. Table 3 shows Protein (g) 94 95 Activity96 Physical105 Activity Level Up to 76 Up to 81 Up to 97 Up to 111 Fat (g) Classification SAF HPB anWHO individual’s ADF energy requirementsUS Army (kcal/day) for the respective InCholesterol the SAF, (mg) the Not Compendium more than 300 of Physical Activities (CPA)1 Calcium (mg) ≥ 800 Normal 1.47 1.4–1.69 PAL1.4 –categories.1.69 1.6 The energy1.7 requirements for the SAF in the wasIron (mg)used to aid≥ 6 in establishing the corresponding rate(Sedentary) of (Sedentary) (Sedentary) (Light Activity) Vitamin A (µg) ≥ 750 three categories (i.e. Normal, Active and Highly Active) are energy expenditure of variousActive military activities1.95 based on1.7 daily-1.99 1.7-1.99 1.8 1.8 Vitamin B1 (mg) ≥ 1.18 (Active) similar(Active) to the(Moderately guidelines set(Moderate by WHO and HPB. The energy averages.Vitamin B2 (mg) ≥ 1.77 Active) Activity) Vitamin C (mg) ≥ 30 requirements for the ADF and US Army are higher due to the Fibre (g) 25 to 30 Highly Active 2.27 2.0 – 2.4 2.0 – 2.4 2.0 2.2 Salt (mg) Up to 4600 (Vigorous) larger(Vigorous) body build(Very Active)of their (Heavy servicemen. However the energy To ensureTable that 1. Dailythe recommendedestimated d ietaryenergy allowance requirements for the SAF for the Activity) requirementDaily Energy R equirementsper kg of body weight for the respective PAL respective Physical Activity LevelsVery (PAL)Highly closely 2.59 match nationalN.A N.A 2.4 2.5 APPROACH TO ESTIMATING ENERGYActive REQUIREMEN TS categoriesEnergy requirement is (Extremelycomparables is the amount among(Exceptional of food the energy SAF, needed ADF andto balance US Army. energy and international standards, the SAF PAL was benchmarked expenditure in orderActive) to maintain bodyHeavy composition Activity) and a level of necessary and Basis for Categorising Physical Activity Level Table 2. Comparisondesirable of physical PAL activity consistent with long-term good health. Table 3 shows against that of HPB, WHO, ADF and the US Army (see Table 2). an individual’s energy requirements (kcal/day) for the respective PAL In the SAF, the Compendium of Physical Activities (CPA)1 was used to aid in categories. The energy requirements for the SAF in the three categories (i.e. establishing the corresponding rate of energy expenditure of various military activities based on daily averages. Normal, Active and Highly Active) are similar to the guidelines set by WHO and HPB. The energy requirements for the ADF and US2 Army are higher due to the larger body build of their servicemen. However the energy requirement per kg of To ensure that the estimated energy requirements for the respective Physical Activity Levels (PAL) closely matches national and international standards, the body weight for the respective PAL categories is comparable among the SAF, SAF PAL was benchmarked against that of HPB, WHO, ADF and the US Army ADF and US Army. (see Table 2). Activity Physical Activity Level Activity Energy Requirements2 (kcal/day) Classification SAF HPB WHO ADF US Army Classification SAF HPB WHO ADF US Army Normal 1.47 1.4–1.69 1.4–1.69 1.6 1.7 Normal 2500 2550 2400 2857 3000 (Sedentary) (Sedentary) (Sedentary) (Light Activity) (Light) (Sedentary) (Sedentary) (Light Activity) Active 1.95 1.7-1.99 1.7-1.99 1.8 1.8 Active 3000 2950 2900 3333 3250 (Active) (Active) (Moderately (Moderate (Moderate) (Active) (Moderately (Moderate Active) Activity) Active) Activity) Highly Active 2.27 2.0 – 2.4 2.0 – 2.4 2.0 2.2 (Vigorous) (Vigorous) (Very Active) (Heavy Highly Active 3500 3450 3450 3809 3950 Activity) (Heavy) (Vigorous) (Very Active) (Heavy Activity) Very Highly 2.59 N.A N.A 2.4 2.5 Very Highly 4000 N.A. N.A 4523 4600 Active (Extremely (Exceptional Active (Extremely (Exceptional Active) Heavy Activity) Active) Heavy Activity) Table 2. Comparison of PAL Table 3. Comparison of energy requirements Table 2. Comparison of PAL GUIDELINES ONTable MACRONUTRIENT 3. Comparison ofDISTRIBUTION energy requirements 2 The dietary requirement review takes reference from national and international standards to ensure that the macronutrient provision is consistent with these guidelines (see Table 4). Nutrients Macronutrient Provision (g/kg body weight/day) SAF HPB WHO ADF US Army Carbohydrate 5.6-10.1 5.5 5-7 4.8-9.2 5.2-8.0 DSTA HORIZONS | 2016 41 Protein 1.4- 1.7 1.05 0.8 1.35-2.4 0.8-1.5 Fat 1.1-1.7 1.1 N.A N.A 1.3 Table 4. Comparison of macronutrients requirements Carbohydrate Carbohydrate is a critical macronutrient that allows the body to perform intermittent and relatively high-level physical activities (Kreider et al., 2010). The carbohydrate requirements for soldiers involved in active operations or training were found to be within the national and international standards (see Table 4). 3 GUIDELINES ON MACRONUTRIENT and sustaining one’s immune function during periods of high DISTRIBUTION volume training (American Dietetic Association et al., 2009). The SAF’s protein provision was found to be higher than HPB Daily Energy Requirements and WHO guidelines and within the range of the ADF and US The dietary requirement review takes reference from national Energy requirements is the amount of foodArmy energy standards needed (see to balance Table 4). energy and international standardsexpenditure to ensure in orderthat theto maintain macronutrient body composition and a level of necessary and provision is consistent withdesirable these guidelinesphysical activity (see Table consistent 4). with long-term good health. Table 3 shows an individual’s energy requirements (kcalFat/day) for the respective PAL categories. The energy requirements for the SAF in the three categories (i.e. Carbohydrate Normal, Active and Highly Active) are similar to the guidelines set by WHO and HPB. The energy requirements for the ADFFats and are US a Army vital partare higherof a healthy due to diet the that adds taste to food and larger body build of their servicemen. Howeversatisfies the energy hunger. requirement However, per excessive kg of fat intake is associated Carbohydrate is a criticalbody macronutrient weight for that the allowsrespective the bodyPAL tocategories is comparable among the SAF, with many diseases, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes perform intermittent and ADFrelatively and UShigh-level Army.