JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
During National Nutrition Month, the 779th Medical Group Health Promotion Office conducts an annual food environment assessment to identify ways to enhance good nutrition and make healthy living easier at Joint Base Andrews. Healthy eating can help you look better and increase your energy level and brain function. In the long term, it can improve heart health and prevent the onset of certain kinds of diseases such as obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis and certain forms of cancer.
The following are a few programs currently in place at Joint Base Andrews to raise awareness about the importance of making healthy food choices:
“Go4Green”, a nutritional labeling program has been implemented at Joint Base Andrews dining facilities. Food items are tagged as being “high performance” and “low performance” meal items based on their nutrient quality. Food items are also labeled as green (eat often), yellow (eat occasionally), and red (eat rarely) based on the impact food can have on your overall performance.
Commissary Thumbs Up, packaged goods and dairy products that have a “Thumbs Up” symbol have been approved by DoD and service dietitians as being a nutritious, high performance food.
Operation "BeFit", in place to support healthy eating on the run. Express shoppettes have healthier food items prominently displayed at the end of shopping aisles. Exchange restaurants offer a wide selection of quick healthy menu items and vending machines have decals to indicate items that are lower in calories, fat and sugar.
Community Garden, located at the Joint Base Andrews Liberty Park housing area, the garden offers residents a place to grow their own vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers, and has been very successful. A $20M expansion project is also underway to bring healthier eating establishments on base such as Boston Market, Arbys Roast beef, etc.
"There's no better time for military members and civilian employees to focus on healthy eating goals than during National Nutrition Month," said Col. Leslie A. Knight, 779th Medical Group commander. "We need to go beyond just great clinical care. We need to have a workforce that is healthy, fit and resilient, and operates in a culture and environment where health is just what we do. We hope you will take a few minutes to examine your eating habits this month and rejuvenate your health goals one bite at a time.”
For additional nutrition information and healthy eating tips, contact the Health Promotion Office at (240) 857-3432 or visit http://www.eatright.org/ or https://www.myfitnesspal.com.