Prevention of Obesity in Military Communities - Fit4Duty

Small (\<9) participant-driven groups meet weekly for 6, 1 hour sessions. Participants design small, gradual healthy lifestyle change plans with added verbal, written, and behavioral exercises designed to elicit dissonance regarding engaging in unhealthy eating and sedentary practices. Participants are asked to voluntarily discuss the health, interpersonal and societal costs of obesity, an unhealthy diet, and sedentary behavior, as well as the benefits of leanness, a healthy diet, and regular physical activity.

Two, 50 minute educational videos address basic concepts of healthy nutrition and weight management reviewing topics such as macro and micronutrients, the virtue of whole grains, fruit, vegetables and superfoods, the dangers of dehydration and vitamin deficiency. The role of poor eating habits, lack of exercise and cultural and technological issues in America's obesity epidemic is examined. A basic understanding of energy balance is conveyed. The role of nutritional supplements is addressed.