Advances in Lifestyle and Performance Medicine in the Military
Major Jeffrey Smith, Chief of Behavior Medicine, and Major Breanna Gawrys Associate Program Director, Family Medicine Residency, of David Grant USAF Medical Center share how they are implementing Lifestyle & Performance Medicine approaches to optimize warfighter health in the U.S. Air Force and the impact implementing same has had for them and for those they train.
Poor health behaviors during and after military services, especially in areas of physical activity, nutrition, tobacco, and alcohol are the highest drivers of the significant health disparity within veteran populations. (1) In fact, although healthier upon entering military service, after they serve, separate, or retire, veterans are some of the unhealthiest Americans in this country.
The growing burden of unhealthy behaviors and subsequent chronic disease is a threat to military readiness, national security, and our Nation’s economy.
The annual cost of suboptimal lifestyle habits to the DOD are significant:
Tobacco use: ~18. billion (2)
Obesity-related health care costs: ~1.5 billion (2)
Excessive alcohol consumption: ~1.1 billion (3)
Implementing lifestyle medicine is imperative to improving readiness and optimizing the performance of our Nation’s service members.
1. Journal of Behavioral Medicine 2017
2. Center for Disease control and Prevention, 2022
3. Alcohol Research 2012
28 авг 2024
