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Motivating Military Trainee Healthy Eating: Insight from Two Sites.

ABSTRACT: This paper investigates eating behaviours and motivations of early career military trainees from two pathways (officer cadets and army recruits) to understand whether, and to what extent, healthful eating behaviours were present, and what motivates eating in general and healthful habits specifically. The study also sought to understand whether groups need strategies that are pathway specific or are transferrable across different trainee populations. Participants were recruited via email to complete an online survey and through in-person invitations to ensure a diverse cross section of trainees (n = 195) and recruits (n = 297). Two-step cluster analysis revealed three distinct segments with education, opportunity and motivation being the most important variables within a wider multivariate segment formation and stepwise linear regression was performed to identify the most optimal model with the least number of predictors for each segment. The ideal model for the uninterested segment contained nine predictors, seven predictors for the Breakfast skippers segment and eight predictors for the Weight conscious segment. This study found that there is room for improvement in the eating habits of military trainees across military training pathways. Eating motivations, and their associations with healthful eating habits, indicate a need for strategies that are broader than instilling or reinforcing health motivations. Strategies that can be implemented to support healthful eating for military trainees include provision of food preparation and cooking skills training, coupled with provision of social support and environments that facilitate healthful eating. Furthermore, three distinct segments were discovered within the trainee population, indicating that strategies for positively changing trainees' eating behaviours may not need to be pathway specific, rather it may be possible to introduce the same group of segmented strategies across both pathways. Future research directions and limitations are outlined.

SUBMITTER: Kitunen A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7466327 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Motivating Military Trainee Healthy Eating: Insight from Two Sites.

Kitunen Anna A Carins Julia J Rundle-Thiele Sharyn S

Foods (Basel, Switzerland) 20200804 8

This paper investigates eating behaviours and motivations of early career military trainees from two pathways (officer cadets and army recruits) to understand whether, and to what extent, healthful eating behaviours were present, and what motivates eating in general and healthful habits specifically. The study also sought to understand whether groups need strategies that are pathway specific or are transferrable across different trainee populations. Participants were recruited via email to compl ...[more]

PMID: 32759775

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Disordered eating, ranging from occasional binge eating or restriction to behaviors associated with eating disorder diagnoses, is common among military personnel and veterans. However, there is little information on how military service affects eating habits. OBJECTIVE:To describe possible pathways between military service and disordered eating among women veterans, a high risk group. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Twenty women veterans who reported changing eating habits in response to stress participated in audio-recorded focus groups or dyadic interviews between April 2013 and October 2014. We used thematic analysis of transcripts to identify and understand women's self-reported eating habits before, during, and after military service. RESULTS:Participants reported entering the military with varied eating habits, but little disordered eating. Participants described several ways military environments affected eating habits, for example, by promoting fast, irregular, binge-like eating and disrupting the reward value of food. Participants believed military-related stressors, which were often related to gender, also affected eating habits. Such stressors included military sexual trauma and the need to meet military weight requirements in general and after giving birth. Participants also reported that poor eating habits continued after military service, often because they remained under stress. CONCLUSIONS:For some women, military service can result in socialization to poor eating habits, which when combined with exposure to stressors can lead to disordered eating. Additional research is needed, including work to understand possible benefits associated with providing support in relation to military weight requirements and the transition out of military service. Given the unique experiences of women in the military, future work could also focus on health services surrounding pregnancy-related weight change and the stress associated with being a woman in predominantly male military environments.

Project description:IntroductionAcross the U.S., afterschool programs (ASPs, 3:00pm-6:00pm) are trying to achieve nationally endorsed nutrition standards (Healthy Eating Standards) calling for fruits/vegetables and water to be served every day, while eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages and foods. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the 2-year changes in the types of foods and beverages served during a community-based intervention designed to achieve the Healthy Eating Standards.Study designRandomized delayed treatment trial with an immediate (1-year baseline and 2-year intervention) or delayed (2-year baseline and 1-year intervention) group.Setting/participantsTwenty ASPs serving 1,700 children (aged 5-12 years) were recruited, with baseline occurring spring 2013, and outcome assessment occurring spring 2014 and 2015.InterventionThe multistep intervention, Strategies To Enhance Practice for Healthy Eating, assisted ASP leaders/staff to serve foods/beverages that meet the nutrition standards.Main outcome measuresThe foods and beverages served for snack were observed directly.ResultsCompared with non-intervention years, both the immediate and delayed groups increased the number of days/week that fruits/vegetables (0.6 vs 1.7 days/week and 0.6 vs 4.4 days/week, OR=3.80, 95% CI=1.45, 9.95) and water (2.3 vs 3.7 days/week and 2.7 vs 4.8 days/week, OR=4.65, 95% CI=1.69, 12.79) were served. Sugar-sweetened beverages were almost eliminated by post-assessment (1.2 vs 0.2 days/week and 3.2 vs 0.0 days/week, OR=0.05, 95% CI=0.02, 0.13). Only the immediate group decreased the number of days/week desserts were served (2.9 vs 0.6 days/week, OR=0.10, 95% CI=0.03, 0.33). Implementation barriers for the delayed group included once/month delivery schedules for fruits/vegetables and limited storage space for foods meeting the Healthy Eating Standards.ConclusionsImprovements in the foods/beverages served in ASPs can be made, yet were hindered by structural barriers related to procurement and storage of perishable foods. Additional efforts are needed to support ASPs as they work toward fully achieving the Healthy Eating Standards.

Dataset Information

Motivating Military Trainee Healthy Eating: Insight from Two Sites.

Publications

Motivating Military Trainee Healthy Eating: Insight from Two Sites.

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