Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes: Impact on Weight, Quality of Life, and Psychiatric Symptoms in Veterans With Mental Illness

Abstract

Counseling Veterans to practice TLCs provides a holistic adjunct to current treatments for mental illness. TLCs may confer multiple benefits upon Veterans with mental illness, enhancing quality of life and well-being along with weight management efforts. As these were pilot studies, the samples sizes were relatively small and a control group was lacking. Our findings may have broader implications supporting a holistic approach in both primary and mental health care settings. Future research will expand this work to address its weaknesses and examine the cost differential between this holistic approach and traditional mental health treatment.

Physical Activity Assessment and Promotion in Clinical Settings in the United States: A Scoping Review

“…26,108 Seven studies (9%) used other, more unique measures to assess physical function, including timed and distance walking tests 27,30,33,74,86,109 and balance scales. 23 In terms of reported findings, 57 studies (73%) [17][18][19]21,22,24,26,27,[32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40]62,63,[65][66][67][68][69][70][71]73,74,76,80,82,83,[85][86][87][88][89][90][91][92][94][95]…”

“…86 Other outcome measures included changes in anthropometrics, cardiovascular and diabetes risk reduction, and behavior change. Anthropometric outcomes included changes in body weight, 17,22,31,32,67,73,85,[88][89][90]93,95,99,100,112 decreases in waist circumference, 19,32,75,76,95,100 and reductions in body mass index. 19,26,32,103,112 Results related to cardiovascular risk factors included changes in blood lipid levels 75,100 and improved blood pressure.…”

Nutraceutical-based Integrative Medicine: Adopting a Mediterranean Diet Pyramid for Attaining Healthy Ageing in Veterans with Disabilities

“…In overweight and obese veterans, low fruit and vegetable consumption is often associated with tobacco use [130]. Unhealthy dietary and lifestyle habits, including smoke, are common in veterans [131][132][133], increasing the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) [134].…”

“…Mental illness is also related with poor nutrition [132,133] and both PTSD and depression are associated with binge eating disorders in veterans [135]. Data from meta-analysis indicated that subjects with PTSD had a high risk of developing impaired memory [136], Type 2 diabetes mellitus [137], CVD [138] and metabolic syndrome [139].…”

“…Physical activity and plant foods intake are within the major recommendations in graphical representations of healthy diet worldwide [202,203], as well as in the Double Pyramid Model and in the Iberoamerican Nutrition Foundation (FINUT) pyramid of healthy lifestyles [204], considering also the dietary environmental impact [205], which could have a positive influence on veterans. In this context, in veterans with mental illness lifestyle changes, such as exercise, diet, relaxation, time in nature, relationships and service to others, improve quality of life, weight loss and diastolic blood pressure [133]. Moreover, non-pharmacological intervention programs which have been suggested for cognitive impairment and depression, with promising results in the elderly [205] or veterans [207], include pet of insects [206] and horticultural therapy [207].…”