Page 53 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Winter 2015

Figure 1 Specificity of performance outcomes.

from one who is deployed and conducting direct action plans to perform activities of daily living and meet spe-
combat missions (operational). cific rehabilitation objectives.

Specificity of Performance Outcomes Nutrition services, education, and products must then
Successful performance outcomes are based on the ap- be tailored to population-specific performance out-
propriate categorization of Special Operators. In-season comes to be effective. For example, public health guide-
athletes and operational SOF are defined as individu- lines, such as the US Department of Agriculture My
als with competitive sport, or specialized task-specific Plate program, support the general population’s partici-
3
physical requirements. They require individualized pation in exercise, recreational sport, and moderately
task-specific performance plans that include both a safe physical occupations. These guidelines also apply to off-
transition from baseline and maintenance of a high level season athletes and nonoperational SOF who engage
of operational performance necessary to excel in task- in less than 150 minutes of weekly moderate physical
specific requirements with minimal injury and illness. activity beyond normal movement. SOF engaged in
4
The general population, off-season athletes, and nonop- combat activities or participating in training programs
erational SOF are defined as generally healthy, sedentary designed for them to excel in task-specific physical re-
or active people with no contraindications for exercise, quirements with minimal injury and illness, however,
recreational sport, or physical occupations. They require typically exceed 150 minutes of moderate physical ac-
nonindividualized, generic public health guidelines and tivity per week. Therefore, USDA My Plate program
recommendations to prevent chronic disease, enhance recommendations are not sufficient to accommodate
overall fitness and vitality, and maintain a baseline level optimal training adaptations for operational SOF; thus,
of performance. Patients are defined as individuals with individualized, task-specific performance nutrition
a disease state/condition that is complex, uncontrolled, plans are required. This relativity of outcomes requires
and/or involves multiple comorbidities. They require Special Operators to be realistic and adjust the focus
individualized, medical condition-specific clinical care of their daily nutrition to actual goals of their current

Comprehensive Performance Nutrition for SOF 41