March 1, 2022
March is National Nutrition Month
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Poor Nutrition | CDC, 2021):
- In the United States, 40% of adults have obesity.
- $147 billion per year is spent on health care for obesity
- More than one in three American adults, or approximately 88 million US adults have prediabetes, and over than 8 in 10 of those adults don't even know it.
The month of March has been designated as National Nutrition Month. This month presents a perfect opportunity for healthcare providers to educate their patients about the importance of good nutrition for their overall health and well-being.
Poor nutrition has a major influence in a person's health. Health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular disease have been shown to be correlated to poor nutrition. Proper nutrition, along with a healthy diet and regular exercise may assist with reversing the effects of these health conditions.
- Per the CDC, adults who eat a healthy diet live longer and have a lower risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers (Poor Nutrition | CDC, 2021).
Some recommendations that can be made to your patients to assist them with their nutritional needs include:
- Perform meal planning.
- Have quick, healthy, go-to snacks available for when they are hungry.
- Eat a variety of foods from each of the food groups to get all the necessary nutrients in their diets.
- A good resource is U.S. Department of Agriculture MyPlate.
- Limit red meat consumption.
- Learn portion sizes and portion control to prevent overeating.
- Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to remain well hydrated.
- Limit foods and drinks that are high in added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium.
- Include exercise as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.
- Obtain additional help if needed from a professional.
For a more information regarding recommendations, please refer to:
- Smart Food Choices for Healthy Aging | National Institute on Aging (nih.gov)
- Choosing Healthy Meals As You Get Older | National Institute on Aging (nih.gov)
- American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids | American Heart Association
You can assist your Medicare beneficiaries with developing healthy lifestyle habits by:
- Encouraging patients to schedule annual wellness visits and health screenings
- Assessing patient's nutrition and physical activity status during annual wellness visits and providing resources/recommendations as needed
- Educating patients on the importance of establishing and maintaining healthy habits such as exercising, eating a well-balanced diet including foods that are low in salt, fat, and cholesterol, and controlling weight (or losing weight if needed)
- Discussing Medicare covered preventive services with beneficiaries and providing recommendations and/or referrals for these preventive services when appropriate
To learn more about Medicare-covered services, visit CMS Preventive Services
- Annual Wellness Visit (AWV)
- Intensive Behavioral Therapy (IBT) for Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
- Intensive Behavioral Therapy (IBT) for Obesity
- Diabetes Screening
- Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT)
- Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT)
- Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program
For More Information
CMS.gov resources
- National Coverage Determination (NCD) for Intensive Behavioral Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease (210.11) (cms.gov)
- National Coverage Determination (NCD) for Intensive Behavioral Therapy for Obesity (210.12) (cms.gov)
- National Coverage Determination (NCD) for Diabetes Outpatient Self-Management Training (40.1) (cms.gov)
- National Coverage Determination (NCD) for Medical Nutrition Therapy (180.1) (cms.gov)
Medicare.gov resources (Information on Medicare Coverage)
- Coverage for Diabetes Self-Management Training (medicare.gov)
- Annual Wellness Visit Coverage (medicare.gov)
- Cardiovascular Disease Treatment Coverage (medicare.gov)
- Obesity Screening Coverage (medicare.gov)
- Diabetes Screening Coverage (medicare.gov)
- Coverage for Diabetes Self-Management Training (medicare.gov)
- Medical Nutrition Therapy Insurance Coverage (medicare.gov)
- Medicare.gov Your Guide to Medicare Preventive Services
Nutrition resources
- MyPlate | U.S. Department of Agriculture
- National Nutrition Month (eatright.org)
- Diet & Nutrition | NIDDK (nih.gov)
- Healthy Eating | National Institute on Aging (nih.gov)
- Million Hearts® (hhs.gov) campaign website
References
- American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity. (2018, April 18). www.heart.org.
- Choosing Healthy Meals As You Get Older | National Institute on Aging. (2019, April 29). National Institute on Aging.
- Poor Nutrition | CDC. (2021, January 11). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Smart Food Choices for Healthy Aging | National Institute on Aging. (2019, April 29). National Institute on Aging.