Accession Number:

AD1105996

Title:

Healthy Behaviors and Incidence of Overweight and Obesity in Military Veterans

Descriptive Note:

Journal Article - Open Access,01 Jan 2003,31 Dec 2013

Corporate Author:

NAVAL HEALTH RESEARCH CENTER SAN DIEGO CA SAN DIEGO United States

Personal Author(s):

• Bookwalter,Deborah B.
• Porter,Ben
• Jacobson,Isabel G.
• Kong,So Y.
• Littman,Alyson J.
• Rull,Rudolph P.
• Boyko,Edward J.

Report Date:

2019-09-11

Pagination or Media Count:

9.0

Abstract:

Research suggests that U.S. veterans have a higher prevalence of obesity than nonveterans and that weight gain is particularly high around the time of military discharge. Despite an established link between individual behaviors and weight gain, few studies have assessed the joint effects of lifestyle factors on obesity risk. Among 11,025 participants with baseline BMI of 18.5-24.9 kgm2, those reporting 5 or 6 healthy behaviors had a 36 lower incidence of overweight compared with those reporting zero or one healthy behavior RR0.64 95 CI0.54, 0.74. Among 17,583 participants with baseline BMI of 25.0-29.9 kgm2, obesity risk was 38 lower for those with at least 5 healthy behaviors relative to those with zero or one healthy behavior RR0.62 95 CI0.54, 0.72. These findings indicate that adherence to multiple healthy behaviors is associated with substantially reduced rates of overweight and obesity. Interventions targeting several health behaviors may be more effective than more narrow interventions in reducing obesity among military veterans.

Descriptors:

• biomedical research
• human behavior
• body weight
• public health
• military personnel
• physical activity
• obesity
• veterans (military personnel)
• overweight

Subject Categories:

• Medicine and Medical Research

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE