How it works, shopping list, and meal plan

The military diet requires people to follow a low-calorie diet for 3 days and then return to regular eating for 4 days. Across the first 3 days, the diet restricts daily calorie intake to 1,400, 1,200, and 1,100 calories.

The diet is high in protein and low in fat, carbohydrate, and calories. It also includes specific food combinations to try to boost metabolism and burn fat. Despite its name, this diet does not relate to how people in the military eat.

A website providing information about the military diet suggests that people could lose up to 10 pounds (lb) in 1 week and as many as 30 lbs in 1 month if they continue to follow the diet.

In this article, we take a look at whether this diet works, its potential problems and benefits, and what to eat to follow the plan.

A review article in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examines very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs) and suggests that they can be effective in helping people lose weight in the short term.

A VLCD allows a maximum of 800 calories per day. People with obesity may need to adopt a VLCD to achieve rapid weight loss before bariatric surgery.

Low-calorie diets are those that allow fewer than 1,000 calories per day.

It is impossible to predict how much weight an individual will lose on a restrictive 1-week diet as everyone is different.

However, people often experience rapid weight gain after stopping one of these short-term diets unless they have put a plan in place to maintain the weight loss.

Below is a 3-day meal plan that features on a website supporting the military diet. There is also a comprehensive shopping list for people looking to follow this diet.

People can drink water throughout the day, as well as 1–2 cups of black coffee or tea.

Day 1

Breakfast

• half a grapefruit
• one slice of toast
• 2 tablespoons (tbsp) of peanut butter, ideally a salt-free and sugar-free brand
• 1 cup of caffeinated coffee or tea

Lunch

• half a cup of tuna
• one slice of toast
• 1 cup of caffeinated coffee or tea

Dinner

• 3 ounces of any meat
• 1 cup of green beans
• half a banana
• one small apple
• 1 cup of vanilla ice cream

Day 2

Breakfast

• one egg
• one slice of toast
• half a banana

Lunch

• one hard-boiled egg
• 1 cup of cottage cheese
• five saltine crackers

Dinner

• two hot dogs without the buns
• 1 cup of broccoli
• half a cup of carrots
• half a banana
• half a cup of vanilla ice cream

Day 3

Breakfast

• five saltine crackers
• one slice of cheddar cheese
• one small apple

Lunch

• one hard-boiled egg
• one slice of toast

Dinner

• 1 cup of tuna
• half a banana
• 1 cup of vanilla ice cream

Vegetarian meal plan

A vegetarian and vegan meal plan is also available:

Day 1

Breakfast

• half a grapefruit
• one slice of toast
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 cup of caffeinated coffee or tea

Lunch

• half an avocado
• 2 tbsp hummus
• one slice of whole-wheat toast
• 1 cup of caffeinated coffee or tea

Dinner

• tofu (up to 300 calories)
• 1 cup of green beans
• half a banana
• one small apple
• 1 cup of vanilla ice cream (vegans can use dairy-free ice cream)

Day 2

Breakfast

• half a cup of baked beans
• one slice of whole-wheat toast
• half a banana

Lunch

• 1 cup of unsweetened soy, hemp, or almond milk
• half an avocado
• 2 tbsp hummus
• five saltine crackers

Dinner

• two veggie hot dogs without the buns
• 1 cup of broccoli
• half a cup of carrots
• half a banana
• half a cup of vanilla ice cream (can be dairy-free)

Day 3

Breakfast

• one slice of cheddar cheese (for vegans, about 15–20 almonds)
• five saltine crackers or half a cup of couscous or quinoa
• one small apple

Lunch

• half an avocado
• 1 tbsp hummus
• one slice of whole-wheat bread

Dinner

• half a cup of canned chickpeas
• half a banana
• 1 cup of vanilla ice cream (or dairy-free ice cream)

Shopping list

Share on PinterestThe military diet shopping list should include peanut butter and whole-wheat bread.

The following list contains the items of food that people will need to buy for the first 3 days of a week on the military diet:

• caffeinated coffee or tea
• one grapefruit
• two bananas
• two apples
• whole-wheat bread
• peanut butter
• eggs
• three cans of tuna
• hot dogs
• a small piece of meat
• green beans (fresh, frozen, or canned)
• small head of broccoli
• carrots
• saltine crackers
• cottage cheese
• a small amount of cheddar cheese
• vanilla ice cream

Following a 3-day military diet plan can cause several potential problems.

Some of the issues below relate specifically to the suggested meal plans.

Limited nutrient intake

The poor variety on the diet days means that people will struggle to eat enough fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients are essential for good health, energy production, detoxification, and efficient metabolism.

High in added salt, sugar, and saturated fat

Between the saltine crackers, peanut butter, bread, hot dogs, and cheese, the diet is quite high in processed foods that contain salt.

People should check nutrition labels to make sure that they are not eating more sodium than the recommended 2,300 milligrams a day limit. Where possible, it is best to buy food brands that are low in sodium or contain no added salt.

The hot dogs that the diet recommends eating consist of processed meat. They contain high levels of saturated fat and sodium.

Each day’s meal plan also includes vanilla ice cream, which can be high in added sugar. People could substitute the ice cream for 300 calories of healthful fruit, vegetables, or whole grains, which the plan currently lacks.

A diet that emphasizes high-calorie, dense foods may not feel very satisfying because portion sizes must remain small to keep meals within the daily calorie budget. This approach may not be sustainable.

Calories too low to exercise?

Share on PinterestSome people may find exercise challenging on diet days.

Eating fewer than 1,400 calories on diet days may make it challenging to do exercise, especially any high-intensity activities.

Eating enough calories on the 4 days off will allow people to exercise more easily. However, proponents of the diet recommend sticking to fewer than 1,500 calories on these days too.

One small study looking at alternate day calorie restriction (ADCR), also called intermittent fasting, found that combining ADCR with exercise led to greater weight changes than either dieting or exercise alone.

Following a VLCD can prevent people from exercising at all.

Confusing science

The military diet suggests that people who dislike or cannot eat grapefruit swap it for a glass of water with baking soda in it to continue to promote an alkaline environment.

It is true that foods can change pH from acid to alkaline. However, this primarily affects the acidity or alkalinity of a person’s urine. The pH of foods in the diet does not affect a person’s blood or metabolism enough to significantly influence weight gain or loss, although it may affect other aspects of health.

All fruit produces alkaline byproducts in the body. As a result, swapping one fruit with another fruit should be fine.

The high-protein aspect of the diet will make urine more acidic. As a result, it is not suitable for someone experiencing kidney problems or gout.

In the short term, the military diet could be beneficial for weight loss.

It is easy to follow because it includes limited foods with simple measurements and cooking methods.

The recommended meal plan for the 4 days off allows for a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, and it also includes whole grains, legumes, and different meal choices.

The plan provides the calorie targets for each food and suggests substitutions for people with food intolerances and other dietary considerations.

The diet focuses on protein, which increases the feeling of fullness, maintains muscle mass, and provides energy for day-to-day activities. It is important to maintain muscle tissue as it contributes directly to a person’s metabolism.

A small 2018 study looked at the effects of following a diet with calorie restrictions on alternate days. The researchers compared the results of the diet with those of exercise in obese and overweight people.

In the participants who were both following the diet and exercising, body weight, waist circumference, and body fat percentage all decreased.

A 2016 review compared a VLCD with an alternate-day-fasting (ADF) diet. The researchers found that ADF was more effective for fat loss and preserving fat-free mass, including muscle.

Due to the military diet’s recommended daily calorie intake of 1,000 to 1,400 calories on the first 3 days, it is not possible to classify it as either a VLCD or an ADF program. Research on VLCD and ADF regimens only looks at diets providing fewer than 800 calories per day.

Although calorie intake on the military diet is too high to count as fasting, the approach of eating normally on the 4 days off mimics the practice of intermittent fasting. Therefore, people may achieve better long-term results by following this diet rather than a low-calorie diet.

Further research is necessary to confirm any specific benefits of the military diet.

The military diet involves restricting calorie consumption on 3 days and then eating a regular diet for the next 4 days. To optimize their weight loss, people may wish to try reducing calories on the 4 rest days too.

Following the military diet may be effective and harmless in the short term, but long-term adherence has associated risks. These include regaining the lost weight afterward, especially if people are reducing their calorie intake on all days of the week.

The diet is very limited in choice and includes some foods that are high in saturated fat, salt, and sugar. It also promotes eating unhealthful processed meats and underemphasizes vegetable consumption.

Adopting healthful eating habits every day is a more sustainable approach to losing weight and maintaining weight loss.

Q:

What is the safest way to lose weight quickly?

A:

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss. However, overconsuming carbohydrates in the form of sugar is one of the main culprits of weight gain, particularly if a person’s exercise regimen does not match their carbohydrate intake. One cup of sugar provides 774 calories. A person could eat 12 cups of grapes for the same calories, and these have a lot more nutrients and provide more satiety.

To lose weight safely, remove all added sugars from your diet. Scan the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer and remove or avoid products containing any form of added sugar on the ingredient list. These products will include sodas, sweet beverages, cereals, most yogurts, baked goods, and more.

Although it may significantly narrow down a person’s food choices, removing added sugar (and most packaged and processed items in the process) will lower their calorie intake and give them a better understanding of what constitutes real, nourishing food.

Natalie Butler, RD, LDAnswers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Was this helpful?

How it works, shopping list, and meal plan

The military diet requires people to follow a low-calorie diet for 3 days and then return to regular eating for 4 days. Across the first 3 days, the diet restricts daily calorie intake to 1,400, 1,200, and 1,100 calories.

The diet is high in protein and low in fat, carbohydrate, and calories. It also includes specific food combinations to try to boost metabolism and burn fat. Despite its name, this diet does not relate to how people in the military eat.

A website providing information about the military diet suggests that people could lose up to 10 pounds (lb) in 1 week and as many as 30 lbs in 1 month if they continue to follow the diet.

In this article, we take a look at whether this diet works, its potential problems and benefits, and what to eat to follow the plan.

A review article in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examines very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs) and suggests that they can be effective in helping people lose weight in the short term.

A VLCD allows a maximum of 800 calories per day. People with obesity may need to adopt a VLCD to achieve rapid weight loss before bariatric surgery.

Low-calorie diets are those that allow fewer than 1,000 calories per day.

It is impossible to predict how much weight an individual will lose on a restrictive 1-week diet as everyone is different.

However, people often experience rapid weight gain after stopping one of these short-term diets unless they have put a plan in place to maintain the weight loss.

Below is a 3-day meal plan that features on a website supporting the military diet. There is also a comprehensive shopping list for people looking to follow this diet.

People can drink water throughout the day, as well as 1–2 cups of black coffee or tea.

Day 1

Breakfast

• half a grapefruit
• one slice of toast
• 2 tablespoons (tbsp) of peanut butter, ideally a salt-free and sugar-free brand
• 1 cup of caffeinated coffee or tea

Lunch

• half a cup of tuna
• one slice of toast
• 1 cup of caffeinated coffee or tea

Dinner

• 3 ounces of any meat
• 1 cup of green beans
• half a banana
• one small apple
• 1 cup of vanilla ice cream

Day 2

Breakfast

• one egg
• one slice of toast
• half a banana

Lunch

• one hard-boiled egg
• 1 cup of cottage cheese
• five saltine crackers

Dinner

• two hot dogs without the buns
• 1 cup of broccoli
• half a cup of carrots
• half a banana
• half a cup of vanilla ice cream

Day 3

Breakfast

• five saltine crackers
• one slice of cheddar cheese
• one small apple

Lunch

• one hard-boiled egg
• one slice of toast

Dinner

• 1 cup of tuna
• half a banana
• 1 cup of vanilla ice cream

Vegetarian meal plan

A vegetarian and vegan meal plan is also available:

Day 1

Breakfast

• half a grapefruit
• one slice of toast
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 cup of caffeinated coffee or tea

Lunch

• half an avocado
• 2 tbsp hummus
• one slice of whole-wheat toast
• 1 cup of caffeinated coffee or tea

Dinner

• tofu (up to 300 calories)
• 1 cup of green beans
• half a banana
• one small apple
• 1 cup of vanilla ice cream (vegans can use dairy-free ice cream)

Day 2

Breakfast

• half a cup of baked beans
• one slice of whole-wheat toast
• half a banana

Lunch

• 1 cup of unsweetened soy, hemp, or almond milk
• half an avocado
• 2 tbsp hummus
• five saltine crackers

Dinner

• two veggie hot dogs without the buns
• 1 cup of broccoli
• half a cup of carrots
• half a banana
• half a cup of vanilla ice cream (can be dairy-free)

Day 3

Breakfast

• one slice of cheddar cheese (for vegans, about 15–20 almonds)
• five saltine crackers or half a cup of couscous or quinoa
• one small apple

Lunch

• half an avocado
• 1 tbsp hummus
• one slice of whole-wheat bread

Dinner

• half a cup of canned chickpeas
• half a banana
• 1 cup of vanilla ice cream (or dairy-free ice cream)

Shopping list

Share on PinterestThe military diet shopping list should include peanut butter and whole-wheat bread.

The following list contains the items of food that people will need to buy for the first 3 days of a week on the military diet:

• caffeinated coffee or tea
• one grapefruit
• two bananas
• two apples
• whole-wheat bread
• peanut butter
• eggs
• three cans of tuna
• hot dogs
• a small piece of meat
• green beans (fresh, frozen, or canned)
• small head of broccoli
• carrots
• saltine crackers
• cottage cheese
• a small amount of cheddar cheese
• vanilla ice cream

Following a 3-day military diet plan can cause several potential problems.

Some of the issues below relate specifically to the suggested meal plans.

Limited nutrient intake

The poor variety on the diet days means that people will struggle to eat enough fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients are essential for good health, energy production, detoxification, and efficient metabolism.

High in added salt, sugar, and saturated fat

Between the saltine crackers, peanut butter, bread, hot dogs, and cheese, the diet is quite high in processed foods that contain salt.

People should check nutrition labels to make sure that they are not eating more sodium than the recommended 2,300 milligrams a day limit. Where possible, it is best to buy food brands that are low in sodium or contain no added salt.

The hot dogs that the diet recommends eating consist of processed meat. They contain high levels of saturated fat and sodium.

Each day’s meal plan also includes vanilla ice cream, which can be high in added sugar. People could substitute the ice cream for 300 calories of healthful fruit, vegetables, or whole grains, which the plan currently lacks.

A diet that emphasizes high-calorie, dense foods may not feel very satisfying because portion sizes must remain small to keep meals within the daily calorie budget. This approach may not be sustainable.

Calories too low to exercise?

Share on PinterestSome people may find exercise challenging on diet days.

Eating fewer than 1,400 calories on diet days may make it challenging to do exercise, especially any high-intensity activities.

Eating enough calories on the 4 days off will allow people to exercise more easily. However, proponents of the diet recommend sticking to fewer than 1,500 calories on these days too.

One small study looking at alternate day calorie restriction (ADCR), also called intermittent fasting, found that combining ADCR with exercise led to greater weight changes than either dieting or exercise alone.

Following a VLCD can prevent people from exercising at all.

Confusing science

The military diet suggests that people who dislike or cannot eat grapefruit swap it for a glass of water with baking soda in it to continue to promote an alkaline environment.

It is true that foods can change pH from acid to alkaline. However, this primarily affects the acidity or alkalinity of a person’s urine. The pH of foods in the diet does not affect a person’s blood or metabolism enough to significantly influence weight gain or loss, although it may affect other aspects of health.

All fruit produces alkaline byproducts in the body. As a result, swapping one fruit with another fruit should be fine.

The high-protein aspect of the diet will make urine more acidic. As a result, it is not suitable for someone experiencing kidney problems or gout.

In the short term, the military diet could be beneficial for weight loss.

It is easy to follow because it includes limited foods with simple measurements and cooking methods.

The recommended meal plan for the 4 days off allows for a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, and it also includes whole grains, legumes, and different meal choices.

The plan provides the calorie targets for each food and suggests substitutions for people with food intolerances and other dietary considerations.

The diet focuses on protein, which increases the feeling of fullness, maintains muscle mass, and provides energy for day-to-day activities. It is important to maintain muscle tissue as it contributes directly to a person’s metabolism.

A small 2018 study looked at the effects of following a diet with calorie restrictions on alternate days. The researchers compared the results of the diet with those of exercise in obese and overweight people.

In the participants who were both following the diet and exercising, body weight, waist circumference, and body fat percentage all decreased.

A 2016 review compared a VLCD with an alternate-day-fasting (ADF) diet. The researchers found that ADF was more effective for fat loss and preserving fat-free mass, including muscle.

Due to the military diet’s recommended daily calorie intake of 1,000 to 1,400 calories on the first 3 days, it is not possible to classify it as either a VLCD or an ADF program. Research on VLCD and ADF regimens only looks at diets providing fewer than 800 calories per day.

Although calorie intake on the military diet is too high to count as fasting, the approach of eating normally on the 4 days off mimics the practice of intermittent fasting. Therefore, people may achieve better long-term results by following this diet rather than a low-calorie diet.

Further research is necessary to confirm any specific benefits of the military diet.

The military diet involves restricting calorie consumption on 3 days and then eating a regular diet for the next 4 days. To optimize their weight loss, people may wish to try reducing calories on the 4 rest days too.

Following the military diet may be effective and harmless in the short term, but long-term adherence has associated risks. These include regaining the lost weight afterward, especially if people are reducing their calorie intake on all days of the week.

The diet is very limited in choice and includes some foods that are high in saturated fat, salt, and sugar. It also promotes eating unhealthful processed meats and underemphasizes vegetable consumption.

Adopting healthful eating habits every day is a more sustainable approach to losing weight and maintaining weight loss.

Q:

What is the safest way to lose weight quickly?

A:

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss. However, overconsuming carbohydrates in the form of sugar is one of the main culprits of weight gain, particularly if a person’s exercise regimen does not match their carbohydrate intake. One cup of sugar provides 774 calories. A person could eat 12 cups of grapes for the same calories, and these have a lot more nutrients and provide more satiety.

To lose weight safely, remove all added sugars from your diet. Scan the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer and remove or avoid products containing any form of added sugar on the ingredient list. These products will include sodas, sweet beverages, cereals, most yogurts, baked goods, and more.

Although it may significantly narrow down a person’s food choices, removing added sugar (and most packaged and processed items in the process) will lower their calorie intake and give them a better understanding of what constitutes real, nourishing food.

Natalie Butler, RD, LDAnswers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Was this helpful?

Victory Day: front-line recipes | Rospotrebnadzor project “Healthy Nutrition”

Today we recall the most popular military dishes.

The Great Victory is an immeasurable feat of the Soviet people: both front-line soldiers and rear. The whole country built equipment, made shells, designed new types of weapons. But there was another side of the war – domestic. A lot depended on the organization of life and, of course, on nutrition. In conditions of total shortage, it was very difficult to keep the diet balanced. Nevertheless, field kitchens coped with this task. We share with readers of the portal some of the most common dishes from the front line.

Kulesh 1943

There is an opinion that kulesh was especially popular among tank troops. It is believed that the morning of the front-line soldiers before the legendary tank battle on the Kursk Bulge began with kulesh. In cooking, kulesh is very simple, and the consistency resembles either liquid porridge or thick soup.

Ingredients:

• Meat on the bone (or stew) – 0.5 kg
• Millet – 250-300 g
• Potatoes – 3-4 pcs.
• Bulb – 2-3 pcs.
• Water – 1.5-2 liters

Cooking method:

If meat is used to prepare the dish, then first it must be separated from the bones, and then boiled for 15 minutes in boiling water. Then we take out the bones from the pan, and add the millet to the resulting meat broth and cook it until cooked, then add the diced potatoes. While the potatoes and millet are cooking, cut the onion into half rings and fry it in a frying pan along with the meat removed from the bones for 15 minutes. After that, add the meat and onions to the pan and simmer everything together under the lid for 10 minutes.

Porridge with garlic

At the front, easy-to-prepare and most healthy products were popular. For this reason, cooks preferred cereals. And garlic perfectly strengthened the immunity of soldiers.

Ingredients:

• Millet – 1 cup
• Water – 3 cups
• Sunflower oil
• Garlic – to taste
• Onions – 0.5 bulbs
• Salt, pepper – to taste

Cooking method:

Fry the onion in vegetable oil. Pour the cereal with cold water and put on fire. As soon as the water boils, add the fry there, salt the porridge and cook for another five minutes. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Remove the porridge from the fire, add garlic to it and, closing the lid, wrap it in a “fur coat”, as in the previous recipe, so that the cereal is steamed. The porridge is fragrant, soft and tender.

Carrot tea

Carrot tea was very popular among soldiers. For its preparation, dried carrots were used, prepared according to the following technology: the vegetable was peeled, grated, dried in the oven, after which the dried carrots could be used as tea leaves, pouring boiling water over it and insisting for 5-10 minutes. Carrots gave the tea a sweetish taste, and the soldiers – an additional charge of vivacity and benefit to the immune system.

More articles about healthy eating.

why the Pentagon thought about transferring the military to a diet without carbohydrates – RT in Russian According to department experts, such a measure will increase the combat readiness of military personnel and help them lose weight, since the problem of obesity is acute in the US Armed Forces. If the Pentagon switches the military to a keto diet, they will also have to give up pizza and beer, which are present in army canteens. The new diet plan is planned to be tested in SEAL units, according to US media. Analysts point out that the initiative may come from lobbyists who seek to change the market for military supplies.

The US Special Operations Command may seriously change the diet of the US military, eliminating carbohydrates from it, and transfer them to the so-called ketogenic diet, which includes only proteins and fats. This is reported by the American media Military Times.

It is noted that in this case, American soldiers will have to give up sugary sodas and pizza in the military canteen, as well as beer, which they can buy in military base stores.

The initiative comes from SOCOM’s director of science and technology, Lisa Sanders. She believes that such a diet will have a positive effect on the combat capability of the units. According to the publication, first of all, the innovation may affect the US SEAL special forces, known as “fur seals”.

Also related

“Counterproductive spending”: the US talked about ways to save $ 1.2 trillion on defense spending

American analysts have come to the conclusion that the United States can save at least $1.2 trillion in military spending over the next decade. How…

“One of the consequences of being in a state of ketosis (the result of following a ketogenic diet. – RT ) is a change in the body’s response to oxygen starvation. You can stay underwater longer and not experience convulsions from a lack of oxygen, ”Sanders reports, which she presented at a special forces conference.

Over time, this diet could spread to all US military personnel, the newspaper notes. The study on which Sanders made her proposal involved cadets in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (the American equivalent of military departments).

“The foundation of the diet is meat, eggs, fish, chicken, cheese, butter, seeds, nuts, and non-starchy vegetables. The key or main nutrient is fat, ”says study author Jeff Volek, kinesiologist and professor in the Department of Human Sciences at Ohio State University.

Dietary control

The US military media noted that the Pentagon had thought about using a ketogenic diet before, but postponed its testing due to its high complexity. In addition, military lawyers reminded that the right of the US command to force soldiers to switch to controversial, according to scientists, meal plans can be challenged in court.

• US Army Canteen
• Reuters
• © Andrew Burton

The ketogenic diet emerged as a treatment for childhood epilepsy in the 1920s. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, it gained popularity among cyclists and bodybuilders who began to resort to it for rapid weight loss.

Related

“War budget”: what is behind Washington’s plans to allocate record funding to the Pentagon

The US Department of Defense has detailed FY 2020 spending plans. The draft of the new Pentagon budget, which provides for spending $718…

This diet requires careful adherence to the diet, no concessions and days off. This means that a soldier who receives a certain set of products at the base will be forced to follow such a diet both on vacation and on leave. To monitor the state of ketosis, you need to take regular tests – in the case of an improper diet, the diet can harm your health.

Introducing the US military to a ketogenic diet will require a change in the composition of all army dry rations and ready-made supplies, which are traditionally high in high-calorie carbohydrate-containing foods. However, one of the authors of the study, Professor Jeff Volek, believes that this, on the contrary, will reduce the cost of food for American soldiers and sailors.

“The ketogenic diet is high in fat, which reduces its cost. The basis of this diet is fat, and fat calories can be very cheap, ”Military Times quotes Volek.

Such studies and processes may indicate the arrival of new players in the military supply market in the United States, says Sergei Sudakov, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Military Sciences.

“Today the USA is undergoing a redistribution of large areas of business influence, where new “giants” are starting to come. No one wants to take care of the health of American soldiers in any way, it’s just that now ketogenic diets, which allow you to lose weight and make food more effective, have become fashionable. We are witnessing how America, step by step, begins to change as a whole. I believe that the redistribution of the market will begin with food supplies, and then it will go into things like uniforms, etc., ”the expert said in an interview with RT.

He added that the adoption and implementation of this program depends on the lobbyists who will try to carry out this initiative.

“If a serious lobbying structure that is close to the secretary’s office and the committees on defense and security of the Senate and Congress takes it, then there is a certain chance to push this law through. In addition, the opinion of the United States Dietitians Association, which is also a large lobbying organization, will play an important role, ”Sudakov believes.

An overdue problem

Considering the transition to a new diet, the Pentagon could be forced by the problem with the level of physical fitness of the military, experts say. According to the Army Times, 31% of volunteers aged 17 to 24 are unfit to serve.

• American field kitchen
• Reuters
• © Andrew Burton

“The biggest cause of potential soldiers being declared unfit for service, accounting for 31% of cases, is obesity,” Major General Frank Muth, who is responsible for recruiting recruits for the US Army, said in 2018 at the annual meeting of the US Army Association in Washington .

Related

Asian diet: Japanese scientists call rice an assistant in the fight against obesity

Increasing the daily consumption of rice by 50 grams per person could reduce the number of obese people worldwide by 1%. Such…

This is not only a problem for volunteers and recruits, but also for military personnel on active duty.

The American Journal of Preventive Medicine published a report in 2016, according to which, in 2015, the proportion of people in active service who were overweight in terms of height-to-weight ratio was 7.8%, which is 73% higher than in 2011 .

In 2018, the RAND Corporation conducted a study of 18,000 service members of all branches and branches of the US military – 66% of them were overweight or obese. Most of the overweight soldiers who participated in the study were in the Army (69.4%), in second place was the Coast Guard (67.8%), in third – the Navy (64.6%), then the Air Force ( 63.1%). Closed the rating of the Marine Corps, where 60.9% of the soldiers selected for inspection were overweight.

US military experts note that this situation has a negative impact on the budget, as the cost of medical care is rising.

“The Department of Defense spends $1.5 billion annually on overweight health care for active service members, veterans and their families, and we lose 650,000 workdays due to obesity-related health problems in the military per year, ”the Army Times quotes the words of retired Lieutenant General Thomas Spore.

The problem of excess weight of the US military in the US began to take shape after the Second World War, when the army ration was revised, recalled Sergei Sudakov.

“Today, the American soldier’s diet is high in calories. Such norms were established in the interests of suppliers who have long been entrenched in the food market in the US Army. If you switch to a new diet, then you need to create a completely new production cycle and new kitchen factories that supply food to the army. It will take tens of billions of dollars and several years,” the expert concluded.

Studies of the caloric balance in army rations are also being conducted in Russia, Viktor Baranets, a military observer for Komsomolskaya Pravda, noted in a conversation with RT.

“Russia has a special technical committee that monitors what is happening in terms of nutrition for military personnel in all the armies of the world, and tries to take the best from there .