The men in the camp were deeply committed to their participation as a way to address a major humanitarian need resulting from war.  They also had high interest in postwar relief work. 

As a result, a major educational emphasis for the unit was preparation for foreign relief service.  Not only did men avail themselves of courses at the university, but also a number of courses were designed with the assistance of university extension services (Local Governments of Western Europe and Topics in Social Work, as examples).  Men studied foreign languages, participated in lecture series on public health conditions in foreign countries, and divided into six special topic study groups.  The latter proved less successful as the men became debilitated during the severe stress of the experiment. 

The men also conducted applied work in various kinds of community groups—settlement houses, youth centers, an interracial co-op store.  In addition a number of the men, particularly before the effects of the starvation phase set in, participated in a food packaging program for European relief. 

Some men participated in theatre and musical productions at the university.  Others assisted in local churches in the Twin Cities and on group in the unit initiated several informal devotional and worship services.

The unit also organized a local chapter of the CPS Union, focusing on a poll to ascertain public reaction to the conscientious objector, the results of which were surprisingly favorable.

The men published Guinea Pig Gazette beginning in May 1943 continuing through 1944.  Those who participated in CPS Unit 140.07 used the same title for their unit publication.

Eisan, in his review of the starvation experiments, highlights some of the practical value of the studies. 

• Official delegations from Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, England, India, China, the Netherlands, East Indies, Brazil, Chile, Puerto Rico, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Poland visited and contacted the laboratory to consult on application of results to the actual day-to-day problems in many parts of the world. 

• The United States Departments of State, War and Agriculture extensively used findings from the Minnesota Experiments.

• The Committee on Emergency Food Problems focused on the study results in a December 1946 memorandum entitled “Calorie Consumption Levels and Their Relation to Health, Well-being and Capacity for Work”.

Eisan noted application of findings in several areas:

• diagnosing degree of under nutrition in individuals and population groups,

• knowledge of work capacity of underfed people,

• understanding of psychological problems,

• medical dangers in semi-starvation, caloric needs for rehabilitation,

• the place of special vitamin and protein supplements in rehabilitation,

• and the persistence of starvation effects. (pp. 310-312)

Further, the study also proved useful in later medical research focused on the treatment of anorexia nervosa.  (Tucker pp. 199-200)