title: Diet, physical activity, and bone density in soldiers before and after deployment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate diet, physical activity, and bone mineral density (BMD) in combat service support Soldiers before and after deployment, and to determine if any components of diet or physical activity impacted BMD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-three Soldiers participated in the study. The BMD of the femoral neck and lumbar spine were measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Diet was assessed using the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire. Physical activity was assessed using the Baecke Habitual Physical Activity Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The BMD of the spine (0.79%; P=.03) increased significantly during deployment. Reported physical activity at work (-10.76%; P=.01) decreased and vitamin K intake increased (37.21%; P=.01). Soldiers did not meet the dietary reference intake for vitamin D and exceeded the dietary reference intakes for all other nutrients. No significant relationships were observed between change in diet or physical activity and change in BMD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the small sample size, we could not determine if deployment impacted BMD, diet, or physical activity in combat service support Soldiers. Future research should focus on investigating the association between lower levels of physical activity, inadequate diet, and decreased BMD in larger military populations.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Care Division, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Ashley R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: Martha A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Mary S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: McCarthy
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000886:Anthropometry; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult