38.2% of Low-Income Veterans Meet the Criteria for Obesity
WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Vern Buchanan, Vice Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee and Chair of the Health Subcommittee, penned an op-ed in the Washington Times calling to “make veterans healthy again” through expanded access to nutritional food, an approach known as “food is medicine.”
“Improving veteran health through nutrition is a cause we can all rally behind,” wrote Buchanan in the op-ed. “It honors their service, strengthens our communities and helps transform our health care system from one that treats illness to one that prevents it.”
Buchanan’s bipartisan Veterans Nutrition and Wellness Act (H.R. 1289) would establish a pilot program within the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide medically tailored meals and groceries to eligible veterans.
Read the full op-ed here or below.
Make veterans healthy again
America’s veterans answered the call to serve their country. Now it’s our turn to serve them—not just with words of gratitude, but with real solutions that improve their health, dignity and quality of life.
Throughout my time in Congress, I’ve worked to expand access to care and benefits for those who’ve worn the uniform. As Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chair of the Health Subcommittee, I’ve also long believed that prevention should be at the heart of our health care system. That’s why I introduced the Veterans Nutrition and Wellness Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation to ensure our veterans receive the nutritional support they need to fight and recover from chronic illness.
This is more than good policy. It’s a moral obligation to support those who sacrificed for us.
Veterans are more likely than the general population to suffer from serious and preventable health conditions. Studies show that veterans suffer from higher rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke than non-veterans. In fact, 38.2 percent of low-income veterans meet the criteria for obesity. Other reports are even higher: in the years immediately following military discharge, approximately 75 to 84 percent of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom veterans were considered overweight or obese.
These health challenges don’t exist in a vacuum. Veterans with obesity are more likely to face foreclosure or eviction and less likely to use active coping mechanisms to manage stress. This leads to a cycle of poor health, financial hardship and declining well-being that dishonors the sacrifice they made for our country.
We can and must do better.
My Veterans Nutrition and Wellness Act would establish a pilot program within the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide medically tailored meals and groceries to eligible veterans. These are not ordinary meal services. They are scientifically designed, nutrient-rich meals prescribed by health professionals to help individuals recover from or manage specific chronic conditions.
This approach is known as “food is medicine,” and it’s gaining bipartisan support across the country. We know that nutrition plays a critical role in health outcomes. This is not an untested theory—it’s backed by results.
At the Cleveland Clinic, a recent study found that patients who received medically tailored meals for just three months saved more than $12,000 per person in downstream medical costs over six months. Many Medicare Advantage plans are already embracing this model, offering healthy food as a covered benefit for those with chronic illnesses. These programs don’t just reduce hospital visits; they empower patients, improve outcomes and save money.
In other words, this is compassionate care that’s also fiscally responsible.
With over 1.43 million veterans in Florida and more than 64,000 in my district alone, this issue is critically important to me. I’ve heard directly from veterans in Manatee and Hillsborough Counties who personally know the power of proper nutrition. One veteran who recently underwent an amputation in my district told me that being able to heal at home with access to nutritious meals made all the difference in his recovery. Others were not as fortunate—unable to shop or cook for themselves, they were stuck in facilities longer than necessary, compromising their healing and independence.
Stories like these underscore what the data already tells us: veterans recover better when they have access to healthy food tailored to their needs. This pilot program will give more veterans that opportunity.
Improving veteran health through nutrition is a cause we can all rally behind. It honors their service, strengthens our communities and helps transform our health care system from one that treats illness to one that prevents it.
President Trump and Secretary Kennedy have been clear that one of this administration’s top priorities is to “Make America Healthy Again.” We can’t make America healthy again if the heroes who defended it are left behind. Congress should pass the Veterans Nutrition and Wellness Act of 2025 and make “food is medicine” a cornerstone of veteran care.
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) is the Vice Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee and the Chair of the Health Subcommittee. Prior to serving in Congress, Buchanan was in business for over 30 years and chaired both the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and Florida Chamber of Commerce. He served as a member of the board and the executive committee of the United States Chamber of Commerce. He also served in the Air National Guard for six years.
