WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- During the holiday season, Air Force Materiel Command and Hanscom Air Force Base will promote the Freeze the Gain Challenge to help the workforce prevent and control high blood pressure.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three adults in the United States has high blood pressure. High blood pressure is called the "silent killer" because it often has no warning signs or symptoms; you can have it for years without knowing it. During this time, it can damage the heart, blood vessels, kidneys and other parts of the body.
Everyone can prevent high blood pressure by reducing sodium (salt) intake, being active and keeping a healthy weight.
Freeze the Gain is a weight maintenance program that encourages participants to maintain -- not gain -- weight during the eight week challenge period, which runs from Nov. 16 through Jan. 8, 2016.
Participants in the FTG challenge will receive a copy of the DASH Eating Plan, developed by the National Institutes of Health. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
The DASH Eating Plan has been ranked the number one overall diet by U.S. News and World Report five years in a row. It is also recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the American Heart Association. Hanscom's Civilian Health Promotion Services will conduct the FTG challenge on base.
The Freeze the Gain program has four parts:
1. Enroll online at
www.AFMCwellness.com through Nov. 13 (appropriated fund Department of Defense civilians need to complete the online Health Risk Assessment when they enroll)
2. Print the FTG confirmation email and complete official FTG weigh-in by CHPS staff between Nov. 2 and Nov. 13 to finalize enrollment. Participants will receive the DASH Eating Plan booklet at weigh-in.
3. Attend the CHPS class, "FTG with the DASH Diet."
4. Complete official weigh-out between Jan. 11 and Jan. 21, 2016.
Participants who complete the FTG challenge without gaining more than two pounds from their initial weight will receive a free lunch container and doubled-sided measuring spoon.
For more information, contact Orlagh Pawlyk at 781-225-6377, CHPS coordinator, or visit
www.AFMCwellness.com.