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Additional Information
The resources on this page are provided as additional support information to help understand, develop and reach healthy weight goals.
Overweight / Obesity Resources
- Management of Overweight and Obesity (OBE)
VA/DOD Clinical Practice Guidelines - https://www.healthquality.va.gov/guidelines/CD/obesity/
- Choosing a Safe and Successful Weight-Loss Program
- This page guides the reader through a number of questions to ask their health care provider and additional steps to identify an appropriate weight loss plan.
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/choosing-a-safe-successful-weight-loss-program - Do You Know the Health Risks of Being Overweight?
- This page provides general information about the health risks of overweight/obesity and suggests additional resources.
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/health-risks-overweight - Overweight and Obesity
- This site defines overweight and obesity and presents information on prevalence, contributing factors, health and economic consequences, frequently asked questions, recommendations, state programs, and other resources.
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/index.htm - Understanding Adult Obesity Fact Sheet
- This page covers how obesity is measured, Body Mass Index (BMI), causes of obesity, body fat distribution, risks of obesity, and its psycho-social effects. Also provides information on additional resources.
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/adult-overweight-obesity
Nutrition Resources
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020
- The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are the cornerstone of Federal nutrition policy and nutrition education activities. These guidelines are jointly issued and updated every 5 years by the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS). They provide authoritative advice for Americans ages 2 and older about consuming fewer calories, making informed food choices, and being physically active to attain and maintain a healthy weight, reduce risk of chronic disease, and promote overall health. For more information please visit the Dietary Guidelines web site:
https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/ - Food and Nutrition Information Center Interactive Toolbox
- The Interactive Toolbox contains links to Web resources that help consumers and professionals with dietary assessment, diet planning, and checking personal health risks.
https://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/interactive-tools - Just Enough for You: About Food Portions and Servings
- This web page guides the reader through a number of questions about food portions and servings and provides tips on how to eat just enough.
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/just-enough-food-portions - Menu Plans and More
- This site provides a variety of reduced-calorie daily menus to help make it easier for eating wisely and losing weight. The sample menus include ideas for traditional American meals as well as ethnic and vegetarian meals. It also has a link to a BMI calculator with an explanation of Portion Distortion and much more.
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/menuplanner.html - Healthy Recipes
- A variety of recipes is available to help you plan meals. All recipes are heart healthy and include important information about the serving size, number of servings, calories, and other nutrients
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/eat/recipes.htm - USDA MyPlate Resources
- USDA's food guidance icon, MyPlate, replaced MyPyramid as the government's primary food group symbol. MyPlate is an easy-to-understand visual cue to help consumers adopt healthy eating habits by encouraging them to build a healthy plate, consistent with the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
http://www.choosemyplate.gov - USDA MyPlate(Spanish version of MyPlate)
- MiPlato representa los 5 groupos de alimentos, los que usted usa para preparar platos sanos. Antes de comer, piense en lo que se va a servir. Los vegetales, frutas, productos de granos integrales, productos lácteos bajos en grasa y carnes magras contienen los nutrientes que usted necesita y no tienen demasiadas calorías. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/en-espanol.html
- The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND)
- The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) was founded in 1917, and is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy.
http://www.eatright.org
Physical Activity Resources
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans 2nd Edition
- In 2018, the Federal Government issued its updated 2nd Edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. This link provides a description of the 2nd Edition of the guidelines with updated information about types and amounts of physical activity that offer substantial health benefits to Americans. https://health.gov/paguidelines/second-edition/
- Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging (NIA)
- This is an update of the guide that was first published in 1998 titled: Exercise: A Guide from the National Institute on Aging. Since then, scientists have learned more about the benefits of exercise for older people and the things that motivate people to become more active, so the authors decided the guide needed an update.
https://order.nia.nih.gov/publication/exercise-physical-activity-your-everyday-guide-from-the-national-institute-on-aging - El Ejercicio y Su Salud: Su Guía Personal para Mantenerse Sano y Fuerte (Spanish version of Exercise: A guide from that National Institute on Aging)
- https://order.nia.nih.gov/publication/ejercicio-y-actividad-fsica-su-gua-diaria-exercise-guide
- Physical Activity for Everyone
- This site provides visitors with an overview of the importance of physical activity and resources to encourage physical activity. It features a Measuring Physical Activity Intensity section that includes the Talk Test, target heart rate and estimated maximum heart rate tests, a perceived exertion test, a metabolic equivalent level test, and lists of sample activities by intensity level. It also provides recommendations for physical activity, strength training for older adults, and links to additional resources.
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/index.htm - President's Challenge – The nation's physical activity program
- A central component of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. The President's Challenge helps people get active, improve their fitness and live happier, healthier lives. This website is the interactive component of that challenge and provides information for kids, teens, adults, seniors, teachers and physical activity advocates on how to register, track progress, calculate fitness and earn awards for meeting goals.
http://www.presidentschallenge.org/ - Recreation.gov
- This partnership among Federal land management agencies provides an easy-to-use Web site with information about all Federal recreation areas. The site allows you to search for recreation areas by state, recreational activity, agency, or map. It also provides links to recreation maps, weather advisories, and sites where visitors can make advanced reservations for camp sites and tours.
http://www.recreation.gov - Your Guide to Physical Activity and Your Heart
- This guide presents comprehensive and easy-to-understand information on the impact of physical activity on your heart and the power of physical activity to keep you healthy. The guide also addresses the many benefits of regular physical activity including burning extra calories, building stamina, improving balance, strengthening your lungs, and boosting the way you feel. It includes sample walking and jogging programs, instructions for finding your target heart rate zone, ideas for making fitness a family affair, and an overview of the best physical activities for a healthy heart.
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/phy_active.pdf
Other Resources
- Healthfinder®
- Healthfinder.gov is a website provided by the US Department of Health and Human Services. This website has a wide range of health topics selected from over 1,600 government and non-profit organizations to bring you the best, most reliable health information on the Internet. http://www.healthfinder.gov
Specific information related to nutrition can be found here:
https://health.gov/myhealthfinder/topics/everyday-healthy-living/nutrition - Specific information related to physical activity can be found here:
https://health.gov/myhealthfinder/topics/everyday-healthy-living/physical-activity - CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Healthy Communities Program: CDC's Healthy Communities Program works with communities through state and national partnerships to improve community leaders’ skills and commitments to establishing, advancing, and maintaining effective population-based strategies that reduce the burden of chronic disease and achieve health equity. Through this program, communities are able to implement policies that sustain environmental and system changes that address the major risk factors of tobacco, physical inactivity, and unhealthy eating.
http://www.cdc.gov/healthycommunitiesprogram/ - My HealtheVet (MHV)
- My HealtheVet (MHV) is the gateway to Veteran health benefits and services. It provides access to trusted health information, links to Federal and VA benefits and resources, the Personal Health Journal (click on Track Health to access journals for blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, weight, food intake, activity, etc.), and online VA prescription refill. MHV is a powerful tool to help Veterans better understand and manage your health.
http://www.myhealth.va.gov - MEDLINEPlus
- MedlinePlus has extensive information on over 700 diseases and conditions as well as prescription and non-prescription drugs. There are lists of hospitals and physicians, a medical encyclopedia, a medical dictionary, health information from the media, and links to thousands of clinical trials.
http://medlineplus.gov/ - MEDLINEPlus
- En Español (Spanish version)
http://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ - Pick Your Path to Health
- This site is dedicated to the health of women. It is a resource that provides information about the different types and importance of nutrients in food; which types of foods to eat to stay healthy; how to read a Nutrition Facts label; tips for improving food choices at home and when eating out; about vitamins and mineral supplements; information on the types and importance of physical activity.
http://www.womenshealth.gov/fitness-nutrition/index.html?from=AtoZ/ - VA National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
- NCP is a field-based program office of the Office of Patient Care Services. NCP advocates for health promotion, disease prevention, and patient health education for Veterans. NCP advises VHA leadership on evidence-based health promotion and disease prevention policy providing programs, education, resources, coordination, guidance, and oversight for clinical staff in VA medical facilities to enhance the health, well-being, and quality of life of Veterans
http://www.prevention.va.gov
