Level of Dietary Fat Does Not Affect Fuel Oxidation or Endurance Exercise Performance of Soldiers
Abstract
The objective was to determine whether additional dietary fat calories influenced the physiology or endurance exercise performance of physically active soldiers. Eight male soldiers (age 22.2 yrs, X + or - SEM) participated in two five-day test cycles while eating either a basal diet (2300 kcal; 40% fat Calories) alone or with additional fat calories (3300 kcal and 57% fat Calories). Carbohydrate (300g/day) and protein (70 g/day) levels were kept constant. A four-day exercise program (total daily energy expenditure = 4645 237 kcal/day), was followed by a progressive treadmill test to exhaustion on day five. The exercise endurance times did not differ between the basil diet alone (106.1 +11.2 min) or with additional fat calories (106.5 7.6 min). There were no significant physiologic differences between the groups at rest or during exercise. However, changes in resting blood chemistry and gas exchange indicated that fat metabolism predominated regardless of diet. In conclusion, a) the fat content of rations has little short-term effect on either physiologic responses or physical performance of active soldiers, b) short-term fat requirements can be met by using body fat stores, and c) a dietary carbohydrate intake of 300 g/ day is insufficient to prevent a transition from a carbohydrate- to a fat- predominant metabolism during four days of moderate exercise.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 15, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA235194
Entities
People
- A. Sikes
- C. B. Hintlian
- C. P. Dunne
- E. W. Askew
- I. A. Taub
- J. L. Briggs
- M. J. Durkot
- M. S. Rose
- R. Kluter
- R. W. Hoyt
- T. E. Jones
- V. A. Forte Jr.
Organizations
- United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine