Noteboom The Law Firm

VA Offering Various Weight Loss Programs for Veterans

January 21, 2011 - There is a program offered at various Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers to help veterans lose weight. The MOVE! program is a VA national initiative that helps qualifying veterans to not only lose weight, but to improve their overall health.

Within the MOVE! program are varying curriculums in which veterans can enroll. The traditional weight loss programs include veterans meeting with personal consultants. For veterans without the ability to travel and want to lose weight on their own and at home, the VA offers the Tele-MOVE! option. Veterans enrolled in Tele-MOVE! program receive weight-loss advice and tips in their home. Additionally, enrollees weigh themselves at home, as opposed to being weighed at the VA.

Tele-MOVE! enrollees use special scales in their homes. The scales include messaging devices, which send the results of the veterans' weekly weigh-ins directly to the local VA office. Veterans also log in at a certain time every day to review questions and tips. Meanwhile, both the accessed information and the veterans' weight are supervised by a VA health professional via a secure VA website.

To qualify for Tele-MOVE! veterans must have:

• overweight or obese BMI measurements;
• a VA primary care provider;
• a landline phone;
• a stable source of electricity;
• a decent understanding of technology; and
• the ability to finish daily sessions.

Multiple programs allow for a wider audience of veterans to take advantage of these benefits. Whether in-home or taking sessions at the VA clinic, the VA is offering veterans structured programs and the ability to improve their health.