HealthierUS Veterans

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HealthierUSVeterans
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What is HealthierUS Veterans?

• Initiative sponsored by Departments of Veterans
  Affairs and Health and Human Services
• Focus on improving health of veterans and family
  members by encouraging healthy eating and
  physical activity
• Aim to reduce risk of
  obesity and diabetes

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Why Focus on Obesity and Diabetes in Veterans?

• National and VA-specific rates of obesity and
  diabetes are high and increasing
• Obesity and Diabetes are
  significant problems for
  veterans who receive
  health care from VA.
• Veterans and families make up ¼ of US
  population (approximately 70 million)

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Health Risks of Obesity

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Heart disease
• Sleep apnea
• Osteoarthritis
• Some types of cancer

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HealthierUS Veterans

• Message
• Eat Healthy. Be Active. Get Fit for Life.
• 3 main goals
• Incorporate message into interactions with VA
  patients and staff
• Reach out to non-VA-using veterans
• Partner with community organizations

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HealthierUS Veterans

• Program Components
• VAs MOVE! Weight Management Program
• Prescription for Health
• Fitness Challenges
• Partnerships between VA medical facilities and
  community-based programs funded by CDC
• Fit for Life Volunteer Corps

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National Promotion of VA
Weight Management Program

• Patient-centered, comprehensive focus on
  behavior, nutrition, and physical activity
• Helps veterans lose weight, keep it off, and
  improve health
• Basic MOVE! Program components can be used by
  veterans, family members, and non-VA providers

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www.move.va.gov
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Prescription for Health

• States BMI and notes health
  risks if high
• Prescribes daily physical activity
  to reduce risk
• Encourages use of a pedometer
  or an odometer
• Includes a recommended number of
  steps to walk or distance to roll
  if in a wheelchair

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Prescription for Health
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Fitness Challenges

• Can be done in a group or individually
• Group challenges can be set up within
  or between facilities or VISNs
• Register for the Presidents Challenge
  and track fitness activities on-line
  
• Encourage co-workers, veterans,
  and families to take the challenge
• www.healthierusveterans.va.gov/FitnessChallenges.a
  sp

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Community-Based Programs Funded by HHS

• Steps to a HealthierUS programs in 40 communities
  address physical inactivity and poor nutrition
  to reduce obesity and diabetes
• VAMCs will partner with Steps
  to a HealthierUS communities and
  state-level programs

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Fit for Life Volunteer Corps

• Open to veterans, family members, and VSO groups
• Corps members may promote HealthierUS Veterans
  special events, Fitness Challenges and the
  Presidents Challenge

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My HealtheVet

• My HealtheVet offers tools for tracking food
  intake and physical activity
• Website www.myhealth.va.gov

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Fitness DVD
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Promotional Materials

• Brochure
• Poster
• Online toolkit with
  other downloadable
  resources
• Public service announcements

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Ideas for Activities at VAMCs

• Establish walking trails on facility grounds
• Post reminders about taking the stairs near
  elevators brighten/enhance stairwells
• Sponsor lunch learns with healthy
• food and information about good nutrition and
  physical activity
• Organize farmers markets

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How Can You Get Involved?

• Actively participate in HealthierUS Veterans
  activities at your local VAMC
• Request Fit for Life Volunteers
• Help promote this program to veterans, their
  families, community organizations and the
  public-at-large

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Evaluation

• Track events and participants to measure outreach
  for the HealthierUS Veterans initiative.
• Online field reporting form and success stories
  form (vaww.prevention.va.gov - HUSV Toolkit page)
  
• VA NCP will evaluate various initiative
  components to understand best approaches for
  decreasing the risk for obesity and diabetes.

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www.healthierusveterans.va.gov