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Office of Work-Life Programs -
Weight Management Program

Who is Eligible for this Program?
The Weight Management Program is available to the following members of Team Coast Guard:

• Active Duty members and their dependents
• Reservists
• Civilian Employees of the Coast Guard

Purpose of Program
The Weight Management Program is intended to assist members that are interested in gaining, losing or maintaining weight through education and intervention methods for successfully managing one’s own weight in a safe, healthy manner. In turn, members can learn how to stay in compliance with the Coast Guard weight standards.

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is a continuous struggle for many individuals. Numerous factors such as diet, exercise, stress and genetics influence one’s ability to successfully maintain a healthy weight. The Weight Management Program provides the support, resources and education needed to help participants safely achieve a healthy weight and adopt better nutrition as a part of a healthier lifestyle.

Program Confidentiality
Discussions and names of members on the CG Weight Program are confidential between the member, unit admin, unit command, and/or medical doctor or Health Promotions Manager (HPM).

Definitions
The following definitions apply to the Weight Management Program:

• Maximum Allowable Weight (MAW): Weight at which a member of a given sex, height, and frame size is referred for a percent body fat determination. Ordinarily, the MAW is well above ideal or healthy weight norms.
• Over-fat: Overweight member who also exceeds the percent body fat allowed for the member’s sex and age.
• Overweight: Member exceeds the MAW, most commonly as a result of muscle or excess fat.
• Recommended Healthy Weight (RHW): “Ideal” body weights for adults.

Services and Resources Available
Effective, sustainable weight management requires a balance between calories taken in and calories expended, a commitment to regular fitness and effective stress management. Health promotion personnel can assist members with a lifestyle plan that will free them from the diet roller coaster with the following resources and services:

• Body Composition Analysis. Scale weight doesn’t always tell the real story about whether a person is at a healthy weight. Body composition, or the measure of fat in the body, is a better indicator of overall health and can be used to determine if your weight loss goals are achievable. A body composition assessment can be performed by a regional HPM.
• Weight Management Self-Help Guide. The Weight Management Self-Help Guide, COMDTPUB P6200.3 was developed to provide employees and their families assistance with managing their weight. It is a self-paced tutorial which guides users through the various aspects and components of a successful weight management program. This publication can be found by accessing CG Directives.
• Fruits and Veggies: More Matters. Formerly the 5-A-Day program, this new national health education program encourages Americans to eat more servings of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are usually low in calories and full of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that work with other nutrients to protect against disease and help slow the aging process. The CG and other armed services have teamed up with the Centers for Disease Control to promote this program and its healthy message.
• Unit Food Service Specialist. Diet is a significant part of the weight management equation. Many of the Coast Guard’s Food Service Specialists (FSs) have special training in nutrition and healthy cooking techniques. FS personnel are valuable resources for information and play a major role in the availability of healthy food choices at their dining facilities.

Requesting Services or Resources
These services or resources can be obtained by contacting the Health Promotions Manager or EAP counselor on your Regional Work-Life Staff. Work-Life Staffs are located at Integrated Support Commands CG-wide and at the Headquarters Support Command.

Program References
The following references provide details of the Weight Management Program:

• Coast Guard Weight and Body Fat Standards Program Manual - COMDTINST M1020.8G
• Coast Guard Health Promotion Manual - COMDTINST M6200.1A
• Weight Management Self-Help Guide

Related Web Sites
The following web sites provide information related to the Weight Management Program:

• Centers for Disease Control, Obesity and Overweight - http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/
• Web Health - http://webhealth.com/wiki/Weight_Loss_And_Diet#diet. This site offers three steps to peak performance, permanent weight management and a high energy lifestyle.

Point of Contact
If you are unable to contact the Health Promotion Manager on your Regional Work-Life Staff, or need additional assistance beyond the information provided here, please contact the Headquarters Health Promotion Program Manager, LT Tim Merrell at (202) 475-5146, fax (202) 475-5907, or e-mail at Timothy.M.Merrell@uscg.mil.