Part III
Committee Recommendations and Areas for Future Research
The CMNR is of the opinion that the data obtained on weight loss and body composition changes, alterations in immune function, and data on sleep and cognitive function from the Ranger I and II studies, offer unique insights into these changes in physiology and performance that may occur in previously well-nourished and physically-fit individuals. The demanding physical activity combined with limited food intake and limited sleep resulting in a 12-15% average weight loss in a period of about 9 weeks, provide data that would be very difficult to obtain other than in this military training setting. The researchers are commended for collecting this valuable data under demanding conditions. The Ranger Training Command is also to be commended for its interest in evaluating the health risks of this rigorous program designed for training future troop commanders.
The data from these studies are not only valuable for the military in coordinating programs, but also provide valuable insight into other medical conditions such as healthy individual subjected to severe trauma. The data may also provide information concerning populations of developing countries that are engaged in heavy physical work during periods of food shortages. We urge the publication of these and future studies in the peer-reviewed nutrition research literature so that they may be made widely available to others conducting research in related clinical nutrition fields.
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The committee recommends the evaluation of the effects of additional sleep (“catch-up”) and caloric intake during the course of the training program just prior to physically hazardous training exercises as well as sessions that include
