The influence of a basic military training diet on whole blood fatty acid profile and the Omega-3 Index of Australian Army recruits.

Abstract

This study described the whole blood fatty acid profile and Omega-3 Index (O3I) of Australian Army recruits at the commencement and completion of basic military training (BMT). Eighty males (17-34y, 77.4± 13.0kg, 43.5± 4.3mL/kg/min) and 37 females (17-45y, 64.3± 8.8kg, 39.3± 2.7 mL/kg/min) volunteered to participate (N= 117). Whole blood samples of each recruit were collected using a finger prick in weeks 1 and 11 (n= 82) and analysed via gas chromatography for the relative proportions of each fatty acid (mean [95% confidence interval]). The macronutrient characteristics of the diet offerings was also determined. At commencement there was a low omega-3 status (sum of omega-3; 4.95% [4.82-5.07]) and O3I (5.03% [4.90-5.16]) and no recruit recorded an O3I >8% (desirable). The omega-6/omega-3 (7.04 [6.85-7.23]) and arachidonic acid/eicosapentaenoic acid (AA/EPA) (18.70 [17.86-19.53]) ratios for the cohort were also undesirable. The BMT mess menu provided a maximum of 190mg/day of EPA and 260mg/day of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The O3I of the recruits was lower by week 11 (4.62% [4.51-4.78], p< 0.05), the omega-6/omega-3 increased (7.27 [7.07-7.47], p< 0.05) and the AA/EPA remained elevated (17.85 [16.89-18.81]). In conclusion, Australian Army recruits' omega-3 status remained undesirable during BMT and deserves nutritional attention. Novelty: Australian Army recruits' Omega-3 Index, at the commencement of BMT, was reflective of the Western-style diet. The BMT diet offered minimum opportunity for daily EPA and DHA consumption. Every recruit experienced a further reduction of their Omega-3 Index during BMT.