An introduction to lifestyle medicine prescribing in veterans
Why lifestyle prescribing matters in veteran care
Lifestyle medicine prescribing reframes the behaviour change related to the fundamentals of good health as a structured, evidence-based clinical intervention – planned, written, and reviewed – similar to pharmacotherapy.
For veterans, this structured approach can be particularly powerful. Military service often reinforces structure, routine, and goal-based performance. Lifestyle prescriptions that are clear, collaborative, and time-limited can restore a sense of agency while remaining trauma-informed and patient-centred.
What is a lifestyle medicine prescription?
A lifestyle prescription is a documented, individualised plan targeting one or two priority lifestyle domains with:
- a defined dose (what, how often, how long)
- an agreed outcome measure
- a review date
Rather than addressing all six pillars at once, prioritising the domains most closely linked to the veteran’s presenting problems – commonly sleep, physical activity, nutrition, alcohol use, stress, or social connection – may lead to improved compliance.
Service-informed prescribing principles
Veterans may respond best to interventions that mirror military values of routine, teamwork, capability, and performance. In line with health coaching principles, lifestyle prescriptions can be framed as a focused plan with clear objectives, defined timeframes, and scheduled reviews.
Using veteran levers such as structure, peer support, and a high-performance mindset, GPs can position themselves as team leaders coordinating care alongside allied health and DVA programs. For example, with the right supports, veterans seem to be better able to resume exercise compared to the general population.
Lifestyle prescriptions can also be catered to the specifics of a veteran’s service history. For example, a veteran who spent years in a highly physically demanding role (eg, infantry, clearance diver, Airfield Defence Guard) may warrant a different approach than a veteran with a less physically demanding service history. A veteran who spent many years having meals supplied in a barracks environment may have different needs in relation to meal planning and preparation to a veteran who was self-catered.
A person’s experience of trauma can have an impact in the development or maintenance of certain conditions and should be considered in treatment. The relevance of trauma is likely to differ based on the individual, their concerns, and the type of trauma experienced.
When creating a lifestyle prescription, consider that this is a behavioural change intervention that has to be immediately relevant to that person at that time. Change can take some time to occur, but clinicians can have a strong impact in motivating veterans to engage from a position of where they are at, regardless of how far they feel they may be from where they want to be. Suggestions to maximise participation include:
- psychoeducation on where they are in the behavioural change cycle and using motivational interviewing techniques to reinforce ongoing efforts to engage in change
- emphasising that everything is driven by the patient themselves, especially choice around what to do, and how much to do
- ensuring the prescription is suitable for the individual and their circumstances, and barriers have been addressed
- avoiding ‘all-or-nothing’ targets
- framing change as capability-building and returning to better functioning
- anticipating pain flares, fatigue, or symptom exacerbation
- planning for and reframing ‘failure’
Lifestyle prescriptions should be positioned as part of the treatment armamentarium, explicitly talking about supporting, not replacing other appropriate evidence based psychological or medical interventions.
Practical examples in general practice
- Physical activity:
“Walk for 10 minutes after breakfast on five days per week for two weeks. If pain flares, reduce duration by 50% rather than stopping. Or try splitting the activity into two sessions, instead of one longer one."- Outcome measure: minutes/week completed activity vs barriers such as pain flare frequency
- Outcome measure: minutes/week completed activity vs barriers such as pain flare frequency
- Sleep:
"Sleep hygiene and routine focus: fixed wake time of 6:30am daily regardless of how much sleep you had; no daytime naps; turn screens off at 9pm and be in bed to unwind by 10pm for 14 days.”- Outcome measure: Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)
- Outcome measure: Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)
- Nutrition:
“Add two serves of vegetables to evening meal at least five days/week for four weeks. Remember to try to eat as much whole foods (unprocessed) as possible. Look for examples of recipes from the Mediterranean diet or similar.” -
- Outcome measure: serves of vegetables a day
- Alcohol:
“Cut down from six to four standard drinks on drinking days, with at least three alcohol-free days/week.”- Outcome measure: drinks/week
Using systems to support prescriptions
Lifestyle prescriptions can be embedded within existing systems where possible. The Veterans’ Health Check (VHC) and VETERANS Lens provides structured entry points for risk stratification and goal setting. For more information on the VHC in practice see here.
The DVA allied health treatment cycle enables referral to dietitians, physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, psychologists, and social workers to support prescriptions over time.
For veterans with chronic disease or complex multimorbidity, the Coordinated Veterans’ Care (CVC) program can help integrate lifestyle prescriptions into multidisciplinary management.
Reviewing and adjusting
Lifestyle prescriptions should usually be reviewed at four to six weeks. Challenges to achieving progress can be explored and addressed with potential need for dose adjustment and reframing of goals. To enable continuity of progress, consider documenting outcomes, focusing on gains, and discussing the next steps in the veteran’s care.
Practical strategies
- Ensure the goal is achievable within the individual’s specific circumstances eg, caring and work responsibilities, finances, relationships, introvert/extrovert, morning person/night owl.
- Focus on function rather than targets
Goals framed around meaningful activities (eg, walking with a partner, returning to hobbies) are more engaging than abstract metrics. - Negotiate achievable goals
Small, incremental changes reduce the risk of failure and disengagement. - Integrate lifestyle medicine into chronic disease care
Lifestyle interventions can be embedded within existing management plans rather than presented as additional tasks. - Leverage veteran-specific supports
Where appropriate, referral to eligible DVA-funded allied health services such as exercise physiology, dietetics, or psychology to support multidisciplinary care. This extends to psychosocial supports such as veteran peer groups.
Reflective practice
Consider a veteran in your practice with cardiometabolic disease and chronic pain. Which single lifestyle domain, if addressed first, might most improve their daily function and overall health?
References
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2023). Health of veterans 2023. Available at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/44c58b09-5753-4919-b4fd-f44d404727f2/aihw-phe-304-health-of-veterans-2023.pdf. (last accessed Feb 2026).
- Boulter, M. K., Holland, T. J., Blackadder-Weinstein, J., et al. Social prescribing in the military: Is it time to embrace a change? BMJ Military Health. 2024;170, 451–453.
- Brockett, C. L., Stansen, C., Bourke, M., Pascoe, M., Clements, M., & Parker, A. G. Factors that influence mental health and well-being of high-performance athletes transitioning out of elite sport: A mixed methods approach. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. 2024;10, e001991.
- Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Defence and Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025–2030. 2022. Available at: https://www.defence.gov.au/about/strategic-planning/defence-veteran-mental-health-wellbeing-strategy-2025-2030. (last accessed Feb 2026).
- Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Smoking, nutrition, alcohol, physical activity (SNAP): A population health guide to behavioural risk factors in general practice. 2015. Available at: https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/clinical-guidelines/key-racgp-guidelines/view-all-racgp-guidelines/snap. (last accessed Feb 2026).
- Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. (2022). Guidelines for preventive activities in general practice (10th ed.). Available at: RACGP - Guidelines for preventive activities in general practice. (last accessed Feb 2026).
- Zhao, F., Liu, C., & Lin, Z. A narrative review of exercise intervention mechanisms for post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans. Frontiers in Public Health. 2025;12:1483077.
Dr Nazha Nazeem is a Melbourne-based General Practitioner with a dynamic footprint in medical education, particularly supporting International Medical Graduates transitioning into Australian General Practice. She completed the Doctor of Medicine from the University of Melbourne and has Fellowship with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP). She is a Medcial Educator with the Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS) where she supports registrars through fellowship exams.
Dr Nazeem is dedicated to designing learner-centred, practical educational programs, ensuring that training is relevant, supportive, and that it translates into effective, real-world practice.
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