Abstract

Aims: This study was an attempt to evaluate the impact of a health educational program on Body Mass Index, Physical Activity and nutritional habits as lifestyle variables in military personnel in 2011. Methods: In this study, 93 military active duty personnel in Tehran (with an age range of 25 to 59) completed the questionnaire. Those with a body mass index of 24.99 and above (55 participants) were assigned to the intervention group. Instructions were given using booklets and lectures on the effects and consequences of an inappropriate lifestyle. Three months later, they were evaluated in the same manner as in the pretest. Results: 48.4 of the participants were overweight and 10.7 of them were obese. 51.6 had unfavorable nutritional habits, and 79.6 had an unfavorable lifestyle regarding physical activity. After training, the indices altered to 49.5, 3.2, 49.5 and 41.9 respectively Conclusion: Considering the high prevalence of overweight, obesity and high BMI in the military personnel and inappropriate nutritional and physical activity habits in them on one hand, and the effectiveness of educational programs in improving their lifestyle on the other hand, having such educational programs seems necessary.