Weight issues during submarine deployments

Abstract

Physical activity onboard the diesel-electric submarines is as it is restricted due to lack of space onboard. In the absence of physical activity, one would expect the weight of the submarine crew to increase during the period of deployment at sea. Submarine crew were seen to be consuming 3168±282 kCal/day while doing hard physical work but DIPAS, New Delhi designed ration scales for the submarine crew which were to provide 3640 kCal/day. In such a scenario, a high calorie intake with low physical activity at sea would be of grave concern for long term health status of the crew. Data from an Indian submarines during a 26 day sortie involving 42 crew members revealed that weight gain occurred in 29 crew members. When food remains an important motivator at sea to break the monotony, restriction of intake is important and that can be brought about only by motivation and individual awareness. Data from a US Navy study have shown that this is possible and implementable and the solution seems quite simple.

Keywords

• Physical exertion
• high calorie intake