Military veterans wage war against obesity, related diseases
SUSANNE M. SCHAFER
Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Marine Corps veteran Abdul Baseer-El survived a rocket attack in Da Nang but now is fighting a new enemy: obesity.
Working with the doctors at the Veterans Affairs hospital here, Baseer-El devised an exercise and diet regimen that helped him shed 100 pounds.
"I turn the light switch off with my foot," he recently told a group of about a dozen overweight vets, showing them how he leans back and lifts one leg as high as he can. "I try to make everything I do some form of exercise. ... I want to keep that weight off."
The VA says that of the 7.5 million veterans receiving its health benefits, more than 70 percent are overweight and 20 percent have diabetes, which can lead to blindness, amputations, stroke and heart problems.
The men and women in Baseer-El's group have similar problems. They are now part of a 10-week program called MOVE, designed to help vets improve their health. During the program, which began as a pilot in 2003 and went national in January, veterans:
_ Receive a health assessment.
_ Learn how to plan meals, adjust portions and read food labels.
_ Are given a personalized exercise program based on whether they have combat injuries or physical limitations.
Hearing from their peers helps, said Dr. Rodney Reid, who's in charge of the program in central South Carolina. "Vets tend to accept the message better if it comes from other vets," he said.
A tear slipped down Baseer-El's cheek as he recounted how his post-Vietnam slide into depression, drugs and alcohol abuse ended only after lengthy counseling and medical assistance.
"I talk to myself a lot, because I am isolated. But I can bear witness ... there is benefit in finding one positive thing in life to focus on and do it. If you only lose half a pound, you did something," he told the group.
While trying to kick his addictions, he said he often turned to food, ballooning to 282 pounds. Seven years ago, he was diagnosed with diabetes. The excess weight also put him at risk for hypertension and heart disease.
"I went on the warpath," said Baseer-El, 57, of Manning. "I became obsessed" about counting calories and finding innovative ways to exercise.
"Instead of putting potatoes in a food processor, I mash 'em with a fork," he said. "Instead of using a towel after a shower, I use a washcloth to dry off and wring it out. I put my cans on low shelves, so when I cook, I do deep knee bends. If I'm not in pain, I try to walk every day. You use calories with everything you do."
For many veterans, just getting started is a big hurdle. Some suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or other psychological problems.
John McCants said his weight gain came as he battled depression. "Instead of lashing out, I eat. I'm a borderline diabetic, and I suffer from hypertension," he said.
McCants, a 50-year-old Army vet from Irmo, said he started the program three years ago but "fell off the wagon" and needs to lose 40 pounds.
"I like what Mr. Baseer had to say, that you have to start somewhere and keep working at it," he said. "You have to be creative about it."
Phyllis Gatewood, VA coordinator for the MOVE program in Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina, said about 11,000 veterans are registered nationwide.
The VA hospital in Columbia had a weight-loss program, but it was directed at high-risk, morbidly obese patients, Reid said. The MOVE program expands the effort to all veterans whose doctor recommends weight loss information and support.
"Some hospitals already had some weight programs and some didn't. South Carolina has been working at this since 1999," Reid said.
The veterans' statistics mirror the rest of the U.S. population, about 64 percent of which are overweight. However, the VA serves the military's enlisted veterans who often come from less affluent backgrounds and may have poor eating habits and limited access to exercise facilities.
Half of those served by the VA are over 65 and pain is the biggest reason they give for not exercising.
Gilliam Smith, who was in Vietnam with the Air Force from 1967 to 1968, said the pounds "piled on" after he suffered a stroke and had cancer surgery three years ago. "I'm by myself, and I didn't want to start exercise and fall off a bike or treadmill or something," said Smith, 69, of Prosperity. "This is a real opportunity for me."
Exercise therapist Franciner Riley urged the vets to start small. "Exercise is a form of therapy. ... It will help you deal with your medical and mental challenges," she said. "You can do something, do anything to get moving. I don't want you to find any reason not to do this."
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