Determine the nutritional needs of humans?

In the previous unit, we saw how involvement in sport or vigorous activities can affect the body's nutrient needs. In this unit, we will focus on nutritional needs of humans who are away from the normal conditions of living environment i.e. affected  by calamities or emergencies (natural or manmade) or exposed to environmental  extremes such as hot, cold, rugged terrain environments as high attitudes. All major emergencies often result in food shortage, impair the nutritional status of population and cause excessive mortality in almost all age groups. In such cases, nutritional awareness becomes important for planning the emergency management.

Human beings can function effectively in extreme environments, provided adequate behavioural precautions (proper clothing, shelter, food and water) are taken.  Expeditionary or recreational outdoor activities are generally conducted in hot, cold, rugged terrain environments such as high altitudes. Mountaineering, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledging and backpacking can be physically demanding along with an added element of danger due to environmental wilderness. These areas need to be manned by armed forces personnel if national boundaries run through such locations for security reasons.

In such cases, it has been observed that miscalculation of physical abilities or inadequate preparedness can be life threatening. Nutrition is a prime need for survival, sustaining physical and mental performance. Under this unit, you will read how nutritional requirements vary with the environment and also about the minimum requirements to prevent malnutrition-related diseases and mortality in emergency situations. You will appreciate the role of nutritional sciences in human success on the planet Earth and in space exploration, which is relatively a new frontier with microgravity as main stress factor.

Objective

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

• describe nutritional needs during calamities and emergencies,
• understand the nutrient requirements for working under environmental extremes i.e. hot, cold and high altitudes, and
• Discuss the nutritional needs during space travels.