Health/Medical

A forum next week in Lincoln focuses on the health care needs of veterans.

The VA of Nebraska-Western Iowa is hosting the forum next Wednesday evening. It’s an opportunity for veterans to ask questions about health care and find out what services they’re eligible for.

The Douglas County Health Department’s Chief of Community Health and Nutrition Services is in Washington DC for the Weight of the Nation Conference.

Mary Balluff says the purpose of the conference is to figure out how we as a community are going to combat the obesity issue.  A recent article in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine predicts an increase in the percentage of obese and very obese Americans over the next twenty years.  

Balluff says Douglas County has done a number of things locally to try to stem the tide of obesity in the Omaha area.

A recent study by Gallup found that U-S businesses lose more than 150-billion dollars each year due to employees’ health-related issues.

The city of Omaha, an elementary school, and 13 businesses recently completed a 12-week wellness challenge. The program, called the Weight No More Wellness Challenge, sought to get participants exercising regularly and eating healthy.

The Centers for Disease Control says Nebraska ranks second in the nation when it comes to binge drinking.

The Vital Signs report released in January says one in six adults binge drink. Binge drinking is defined as four or more drinks for women, and five or more drinks for men, on one occasion.