VA, HHS Launch Program To Prevent Diabetes, Obesity Among Veterans

Main Category: Veterans / Ex-Servicemen
Article Date: 01 Mar 2006 - 18:00 PST

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The Department of Veterans Affairs and HHS on Monday announced a program that will provide veterans with information on nutrition, exercise, preventive care and weight loss in an effort to reduce cases of obesity and diabetes, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports. The program will provide veterans with "prescriptions for health" that list personalized information on nutrition and exercise based on body fat and body mass indexes. In addition, the program will include a weight-management program called MOVE! According to VA, 70% of the 7.5 million veterans who receive health benefits through the department are obese, and one in five has diabetes, which can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure and amputations. VA Secretary Jim Nicholson said, "This doesn't have to be. I feel we have a responsibility to better educate our veterans" (AP/Long Island Newsday, 2/26).

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