Yahoo News The Army trials health app as part of Healthy Living Pilot to improve soldier's lifestyle choices
![The Army has launched a 'Healthy Living Pilot' to improve soldiers health and lifestyle choices, it has been revealed.Trailed by the 4th Infantry Brigade, which includes nine units of the Army based in the North of England, the pilot's aim is to target alcohol consumption, mental resilience, nutrition, sleep and physical training.Incorporating a number of initiatives, the plan is to roll them out across the rest of the Army if results prove they are successful."Data is being captured by two surveys," explains Major John Gammon of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. "One took place at the beginning of the trial, which identified existing health behaviours, and the second will take place at the end, to determine whether there has been any behavioural changes on account of the activities."One of the pilot's key elements is the use of Vitality's HealthyU app. "The idea is to determine whether the use of a smart phone app improves healthier choices," says Major Gammon."HealthyU App is a Vitality app which we are using to measure activity and track health habits... The app tracks exercises [and] steps, and soldiers can input the data they get through the Army’s health care provision."A primary aim is to incentivise soldiers by allocating simple rewards for meeting specific goals.Another aspect of the pilot centres on nutrition. "One of our commercial partners is an organisation called Aramark, who are the contractor that deliver catering for a the Pilot units," Major Gammon explains. "Aramark’s nutritionists, who are privy to the eating habits of our soldiers, have developed a new menu which offers healthier options with the aim of preparing for, and recovering from, physical training."Enter: the Warrior Breakfast, the mid-morning meal born from focus groups aiming to assess how soldiers' diets can be improved."At 10am, soldiers break from training for NAAFI [Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes] break where they would traditionally snack on unhealthy foods from the shop in barracks," says Major Gammon. "We are now offering the ‘Warrior Breakfast’, which includes foods such as: a four-egg omelette with a choice of healthy fillings, a high protein 'three-egg white and a whole egg' omelette with healthy fillings, avocado and poached eggs on multi-grain toast, and a mushroom hash on multi-grain toast with poached eggs."Alcohol consumption is another area targeted by the pilot - "It is common knowledge that excess alcohol is detrimental to health and as such we have introduced ‘unit alcohol advisers’ who are trained to educate other soldiers on the effects of excess alcohol," Major Gammon states - and gym improvement packs have been delivered to all gymnasium facilities within the trial units as well. These include interactive TVs, improved sound systems, fitness tracking equipment and improved aesthetics - additions which have proved so successful, they are currently being delivered to all units of the Army.Scheduled for completion in December 2019, the results of the year-long trial are expected to be revealed in early 2020."The feedback so far has been really positive," says Major Gammon. "In particular, the Warrior Breakfast which is proving incredibly popular. So much so, we're now having to look at how we can vary the menu, to sustain it’s popularity, because the footfall in the Cookhouses has improved significantly."He adds: "It is evident [from] the pilot so far that if soldiers are given a choice they will take the healthier option... We are looking forward to seeing the results next year."](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/jo5xayTnqlwXJmwBuuNk8g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY2NA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/evening_standard_239/9facfe174d9d5d68381ecb1a328bef28)
![The Army has launched a 'Healthy Living Pilot' to improve soldiers health and lifestyle choices, it has been revealed.Trailed by the 4th Infantry Brigade, which includes nine units of the Army based in the North of England, the pilot's aim is to target alcohol consumption, mental resilience, nutrition, sleep and physical training.Incorporating a number of initiatives, the plan is to roll them out across the rest of the Army if results prove they are successful."Data is being captured by two surveys," explains Major John Gammon of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. "One took place at the beginning of the trial, which identified existing health behaviours, and the second will take place at the end, to determine whether there has been any behavioural changes on account of the activities."One of the pilot's key elements is the use of Vitality's HealthyU app. "The idea is to determine whether the use of a smart phone app improves healthier choices," says Major Gammon."HealthyU App is a Vitality app which we are using to measure activity and track health habits... The app tracks exercises [and] steps, and soldiers can input the data they get through the Army’s health care provision."A primary aim is to incentivise soldiers by allocating simple rewards for meeting specific goals.Another aspect of the pilot centres on nutrition. "One of our commercial partners is an organisation called Aramark, who are the contractor that deliver catering for a the Pilot units," Major Gammon explains. "Aramark’s nutritionists, who are privy to the eating habits of our soldiers, have developed a new menu which offers healthier options with the aim of preparing for, and recovering from, physical training."Enter: the Warrior Breakfast, the mid-morning meal born from focus groups aiming to assess how soldiers' diets can be improved."At 10am, soldiers break from training for NAAFI [Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes] break where they would traditionally snack on unhealthy foods from the shop in barracks," says Major Gammon. "We are now offering the ‘Warrior Breakfast’, which includes foods such as: a four-egg omelette with a choice of healthy fillings, a high protein 'three-egg white and a whole egg' omelette with healthy fillings, avocado and poached eggs on multi-grain toast, and a mushroom hash on multi-grain toast with poached eggs."Alcohol consumption is another area targeted by the pilot - "It is common knowledge that excess alcohol is detrimental to health and as such we have introduced ‘unit alcohol advisers’ who are trained to educate other soldiers on the effects of excess alcohol," Major Gammon states - and gym improvement packs have been delivered to all gymnasium facilities within the trial units as well. These include interactive TVs, improved sound systems, fitness tracking equipment and improved aesthetics - additions which have proved so successful, they are currently being delivered to all units of the Army.Scheduled for completion in December 2019, the results of the year-long trial are expected to be revealed in early 2020."The feedback so far has been really positive," says Major Gammon. "In particular, the Warrior Breakfast which is proving incredibly popular. So much so, we're now having to look at how we can vary the menu, to sustain it’s popularity, because the footfall in the Cookhouses has improved significantly."He adds: "It is evident [from] the pilot so far that if soldiers are given a choice they will take the healthier option... We are looking forward to seeing the results next year."](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/rDDkiUQ..CYk6p_Xj2qlpQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY2NA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/evening_standard_239/61d32112135c42af8580adcb1ee4cdf0)
The Army has launched a 'Healthy Living Pilot' to improve soldiers health and lifestyle choices, it has been revealed.
Trailed by the 4th Infantry Brigade, which includes nine units of the Army based in the North of England, the pilot's aim is to target alcohol consumption, mental resilience, nutrition, sleep and physical training.
Incorporating a number of initiatives, the plan is to roll them out across the rest of the Army if results prove they are successful.
"Data is being captured by two surveys," explains Major John Gammon of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. "One took place at the beginning of the trial, which identified existing health behaviours, and the second will take place at the end, to determine whether there has been any behavioural changes on account of the activities."
One of the pilot's key elements is the use of Vitality's HealthyU app. "The idea is to determine whether the use of a smart phone app improves healthier choices," says Major Gammon.
"HealthyU App is a Vitality app which we are using to measure activity and track health habits... The app tracks exercises [and] steps, and soldiers can input the data they get through the Army’s health care provision."
A primary aim is to incentivise soldiers by allocating simple rewards for meeting specific goals.
Another aspect of the pilot centres on nutrition. "One of our commercial partners is an organisation called Aramark, who are the contractor that deliver catering for a the Pilot units," Major Gammon explains. "Aramark’s nutritionists, who are privy to the eating habits of our soldiers, have developed a new menu which offers healthier options with the aim of preparing for, and recovering from, physical training."
Enter: the Warrior Breakfast, the mid-morning meal born from focus groups aiming to assess how soldiers' diets can be improved.
"At 10am, soldiers break from training for NAAFI [Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes] break where they would traditionally snack on unhealthy foods from the shop in barracks," says Major Gammon. "We are now offering the ‘Warrior Breakfast’, which includes foods such as: a four-egg omelette with a choice of healthy fillings, a high protein 'three-egg white and a whole egg' omelette with healthy fillings, avocado and poached eggs on multi-grain toast, and a mushroom hash on multi-grain toast with poached eggs."
Alcohol consumption is another area targeted by the pilot - "It is common knowledge that excess alcohol is detrimental to health and as such we have introduced ‘unit alcohol advisers’ who are trained to educate other soldiers on the effects of excess alcohol," Major Gammon states - and gym improvement packs have been delivered to all gymnasium facilities within the trial units as well. These include interactive TVs, improved sound systems, fitness tracking equipment and improved aesthetics - additions which have proved so successful, they are currently being delivered to all units of the Army.
Scheduled for completion in December 2019, the results of the year-long trial are expected to be revealed in early 2020.
"The feedback so far has been really positive," says Major Gammon. "In particular, the Warrior Breakfast which is proving incredibly popular. So much so, we're now having to look at how we can vary the menu, to sustain it’s popularity, because the footfall in the Cookhouses has improved significantly."
He adds: "It is evident [from] the pilot so far that if soldiers are given a choice they will take the healthier option... We are looking forward to seeing the results next year."
