The Feasibility and Efficacy of Warrior Health and Fitness: A 3-Month Fitness and Nutrition Program for Veterans.

This article evaluates the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of the Warrior Health and Fitness (WHF) program, a free, 3-month integrative health and fitness intervention for military veterans. Conducted from 2019 to 2023 across sites in Boston, Massachusetts, and Florida, the program included supervised group fitness, individualized nutrition counseling, yoga, and mental skills coaching. Results from two cohorts (n=261 and n=256) showed significant improvements in physical health measures such as weight, body fat percentage, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and grip strength, as well as enhanced quality of life; however, pain intensity and interference increased postprogram. Despite high participant satisfaction, the study noted substantial dropout rates and limited assessment completion, highlighting challenges in retention. The authors suggest that WHF is a feasible and acceptable approach to improving veterans' physical and mental health, while recommending future research with larger samples, control groups, and strategies to enhance retention and assessment adherence.