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 Helping Shoppers Make Healthy Food Choices
During the past two years, TRICARE has been working with the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) on the “curb obesity” portion of TRICARE’s “Healthy Choices for Life” campaign. You may have noticed the eye-catching shelf tags with key messages from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans the last time you visited your local commissary. These tags are just one part of DeCA’s sister campaign, “It’s Your Choice, Make it Healthy.” Other activities include industry-sponsored health screening events at stateside commissaries where licensed professionals check blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass.
DeCA has now "officially" added a dietitian to its outreach staff by activating Army Reserve dietitian Maj. Karen Fauber. Some of the initiatives planned for Spring 2007 include an “Ask the Dietitian” feature on the DeCA Web site and increased visibility for the recently revamped “5 A Day for Better Health” program, which focuses on fruits and vegetables.
Many commissaries have dietitians who conduct nutrition tours and offer advice on healthy shopping and eating habits. Commissaries have added whole grain products, numerous organic options and more high-quality, fresh produce—all at savings of 30 percent or more.
The partnership has also expanded the TRICARE Healthy Choices campaign with the annual celebration of “Family Day—A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children.” Family Day focuses on frequent family dinners as a way to reduce substance abuse in children. Family dinners mean family involvement.
“This was a natural tie-in to our Healthy Choices partnership with DeCA, which addresses alcohol abuse, tobacco use, healthy eating and active living to combat obesity,” said Dian Lawhon, director, Communications and Customer Service Directorate, TRICARE Management Activity. “DoD and TRICARE are committed to encouraging healthy choices. Families that are actively involved in the lives of their children have a profoundly positive effect on their development, health and well-being.”
Family Day is celebrated on the fourth Monday of September, but please don’t wait until then. When it comes to good health and healthy families, every day can be a family day!
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