Analysis of Nutrition Knowledge and Healthy Habits within ROTC Cadets Original Research
Main Article Content
Keywords
Tactical Athlete, diet intake
Abstract
Introduction: In pursuit of achieving and maintaining military readiness, Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets must adhere to the standards of body composition and physical fitness respective to their service. Healthy habits such as adequate nutrition, sleep, and physical activity are essential for supporting these outcomes in service members, but evidence suggests that ROTC cadets may face challenges achieving optimal dietary intake and quality, in addition to having lower scores of nutrition knowledge, and are at increased risk of disordered eating.
Methods: Sixty-eight cadets (85 percent male; mean age 19.1±1.1 years) from a southeastern university completed the Military Eating Behaviors Survey (MEB-S). This study reported descriptive statistics of the survey responses related to nutrition, physical activity, and sleep. Further correlations among nutrition knowledge, diet quality, frequency of meal consumption, physical activity and sleep were analyzed.
Results: The mean HES-7 score was 16.9±6.6, indicating suboptimal diet quality. More than half the sample reported supplement use within the past 30 days. Average sleep duration was 6.9±2.1 hours per night, and vigorous physical activity reported 41.8 days out of the week for 1.5±0.9 hours while moderate activity reported an average 3.5±2.1 days a week for 1.3±1.0 hours. Nutrition knowledge scores (14.5±3.0) were not significantly correlated with diet quality, meal frequency, frequency of meal consumption, physical activity or sleep. Data reports a moderate statistically significant negative association between diet quality and hours of sleep (HES-5, Pearson’s r = -0.414, p < .001; HES-7, Pearson’s r = -0.389, p = .002; HES-9, Pearson’s r = -0.449, p < .001).
Conclusions: These findings suggest that ROTC cadets exhibit generally poor diet quality and high supplement use. This sample reported an average nutrition knowledge, although they had formal nutrition education provided. However, analysis suggests nutrition knowledge alone may not predict healthier eating patterns. Multifaceted interventions addressing environmental and behavioral factors may better support cadet readiness and performance.
References
1. Mantanona A, Khan J, Jayne J, et al. Examining the Relationship Between Healthy Eating Score and ACFT Performance in Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadets: Original Research. Journal of Exercise and Nutrition. 2023;6(1). doi:10.53520/jen2023.103147
2. U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). DoD Instruction 1308.03 DoD Physical Fitness/Body Composition Program.; 2023. Accessed October 10, 2025. https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/130803p.pdf
3. Rushing K, Cannon SA, Mintz JA, et al. EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ROTC ARMY CADET EXERCISE TRAINING FOR THE ARMY COMBAT FITNESS TEST. International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings. 2023;16(1). https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol16/iss1/334
4. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016;116(3):501-528. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2015.12.006
5. Garron T, Klein DJ. Male Army ROTC Cadets Fail to Meet Military Dietary Reference Intakes and Exhibit a High Prevalence of Low Energy Availability and Poor Sleep Quality. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2023;8(3):95. doi:10.3390/jfmk8030095
6. Good CH, Brager AJ, Capaldi VF, Mysliwiec V. Sleep in the United States Military. Neuropsychopharmacol. 2020;45(1):176-191. doi:10.1038/s41386-019-0431-7
7. Franks C, Phillips J, Armstrong K, Andre T, Jo J, Valliant M. Benefits of sleep on reduction of injury and illness in Division I female soccer players. Scientific Journal of Sport and Performance. Scientific Journal of Sport and Performance. 2024;3(3):395-404. doi:https://doi.org/10.55860/QKRT6483
8. Smith A. Effects of caffeine on human behavior. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2002;40(9):1243-1255. doi:10.1016/S0278-6915(02)00096-0
9. Knapik JJ, Trone DW, Steelman RA, Farina EK, Lieberman HR. Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Dietary Supplement Use in a Stratified, Random Sample of US Military Personnel: The US Military Dietary Supplement Use Study. J Nutr. 2021;151(11):3495-3506. doi:10.1093/jn/nxab239
10. Purvis DL, Lentino CV, Jackson TK, Murphy KJ, Deuster PA. Nutrition as a Component of the Performance Triad: How Healthy Eating Behaviors Contribute to Soldier Performance and Military Readiness. THE ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT JOURNAL. Published online 2013.
11. Daniels E, Hanson J. Energy-Adjusted Dietary Intakes Are Associated with Perceived Barriers to Healthy Eating but Not Food Insecurity or Sports Nutrition Knowledge in a Pilot Study of ROTC Cadets. Nutrients. 2021;13(9):3053. doi:10.3390/nu13093053
12. Drenowatz C, Shook RP, Hand GA, Hébert JR, Blair SN. The independent association between diet quality and body composition. Sci Rep. 2014;4(1):4928. doi:10.1038/srep04928
13. Newby P, Muller D, Hallfrisch J, Qiao N, Andres R, Tucker KL. Dietary patterns and changes in body mass index and waist circumference in adults. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2003;77(6):1417-1425. doi:10.1093/ajcn/77.6.1417
14. Boyum L, Franks C, Kostelnik S, Andre T, Valliant M, Joung HW. The Assessment of Nutrition Knowledge in ROTC Cadets. Journal of Exercise and Nutrition. 2024;7(1). doi:10.53520/jen2024.103164
15. Nikolaus CJ, An R, Ellison B, Nickols-Richardson SM. Food Insecurity among College Students in the United States: A Scoping Review. Advances in Nutrition. 2020;11(2):327-348. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz111
16. Pelletier JE, Laska MN. Campus food and beverage purchases are associated with indicators of diet quality in college students living off campus. Am J Health Promot. 2013;28(2):80-87. doi:10.4278/ajhp.120705-QUAN-326
17. Smith A, Emerson D, Winkelmann Z, Potter D, Torres-McGehee T. Prevalence of Eating Disorder Risk and Body Image Dissatisfaction among ROTC Cadets. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020;17(21):8137. doi:10.3390/ijerph17218137
18. Cole RE, Jayne JM, O’Connor K, et al. Development and Validation of the Military Eating Behavior Survey. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 2021;53(9):798-810. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2021.04.467
19. Moorhead-Hill KM. Nutrition Knowledge, Motivation for Healthy Eating, and Diet Quality in Army ROTC Cadets at Two Midwestern Universities. M.S. Michigan State University; 2019. Accessed October 12, 2022. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2186378145/abstract/87375A6721014DF2PQ/1
20. Dyal RN, Deschamps BA, McGraw SM, Jayne JM, Karl JP, Cole RE. Healthy Eating Score–7 as a Measure of Diet Quality in a Military Population. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 2022;54(5):455-464. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2021.09.019
21. Trakman GL, Forsyth A, Hoye R, Belski R. Developing and validating a nutrition knowledge questionnaire: key methods and considerations. Public Health Nutrition. 2017;20(15):2670-2679. doi:10.1017/S1368980017001471
22. Welty FK, Daher R, Garelnabi M. Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Sex and Racial Differences in Cardiovascular Outcomes and Cognitive Function. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2024;44(1):89-107. doi:10.1161/ATVBAHA.122.318125
23. Jayne JM, Karl JP, McGraw SM, O’Connor K, DiChiara AJ, Cole RE. Eating Behaviors Are Associated With Physical Fitness and Body Composition Among US Army Soldiers. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 2021;53(6):480-488. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2021.01.013
24. Knapik JJ, Steelman RA, Trone DW, Farina EK, Lieberman HR. Prevalence of caffeine consumers, daily caffeine consumption, and factors associated with caffeine use among active-duty United States military personnel. Nutrition Journal. 2022;21(1):22. doi:10.1186/s12937-022-00774-0
25. Nadeem IM, Shanmugaraj A, Sakha S, Horner NS, Ayeni OR, Khan M. Energy Drinks and Their Adverse Health Effects: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Health. 2021;13(3):265-277. doi:10.1177/1941738120949181
26. Gurley BJ, Steelman SC, Thomas SL. Multi-ingredient, Caffeine-containing Dietary Supplements: History, Safety, and Efficacy. Clinical Therapeutics. 2015;37(2):275-301. doi:10.1016/j.clinthera.2014.08.012
27. Brooks A. Exploration of Sports Nutrition Knowledge, Nutrition Practices, and Physical Performance on Standardized U.S. Navy Physical Fitness Assessments in a ROTC Population. 2018.
28. Crombie AP, Pei-Yang Liu, Ormsbee MJ, Ilich JZ. Weight and Body-Composition Change During the College Freshman Year in Male General-Population Students and Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadets. International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism. 2012;22(6):412-421.
29. Thomas DQ, Lumpp SA, Schreiber JA, Keith JA. PHYSICAL FITNESS PROFILE OF ARMY ROTC CADETS. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 2004;18(4):904.
30. American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). ACSM Physical Activity Guidelines. 2025. Accessed October 6, 2025. https://acsm.org/education-resources/trending-topics-resources/physical-activity-guidelines/
31. U.S. Army. The Performance Triad Guide: Sleep, Activity, and Nutrition.; :170.
32. Eberhardt H, Willingham B, Brisebois M, Saracino P. Low Energy Availability Prevalence, Dietary Habits, and Sleep in Female Army ROTC Cadets. International Journal of Exercise Science. 2025;18(6):1030-1046. doi:10.70252/VRDK5031
33. Schaffer R. Dietary sources, not supplements, ideal for calcium, vitamin D. Endocrine Today. 2023;21(8):24.
34. Nevarez L. Evaluation of MyPlate Recommendations and Dietary Habits of EIU ROTC Cadets: A Mixed Methods Approach. Published online 2017:69.
35. Mostel M. Evaluating nutrition knowledge among ROTC cadets. Int J Sports Exercise Phys Educ. 2024;6(1):83-85. doi:10.33545/26647281.2024.v6.i1b.80
36. Sheafer KA, Lee DM, George B, Jayne JM, Cole RE. Nutrition Knowledge Is Associated With Diet Quality Among US Army Soldiers. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2023;55(10):748-754. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2023.07.008
37. Kullen CJ, Farrugia JL, Prvan T, O’Connor HT. Relationship between general nutrition knowledge and diet quality in Australian military personnel. British Journal of Nutrition. 2016;115(8):1489-1497. doi:10.1017/S0007114516000532
38. Drzal N, Kerver JM, Strakovsky RS, Weatherspoon L, Alaimo K. Barriers and facilitators to healthy eating among college students. Nutrition Research. 2025;133:161-171. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2024.06.001
39. Riddle ES, Niles MT, Nickerson A. Prevalence and factors associated with food insecurity across an entire campus population. PLoS One. 2020;15(8):e0237637. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0237637
40. Valentine AA, Schumacher JR, Murphy J, Ma YJ. Dietary supplement use, perceptions, and associated lifestyle behaviors in undergraduate college students, student-athletes, and ROTC cadets. Journal of American College Health. 2018;66(2):87-97. doi:10.1080/07448481.2017.1377205
Article Sidebar
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright, 2026 by the authors. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.