The over-abundance of nutrition advice can be confusing to anyone looking to make change. The IAFF recognizes the need for clear recommendations that fit the uniqueness of the fire service and created this nutrition campaign to support our members.
The Importance of Nutrition for Fire Fighters
The leading causes of death for fire fighters are cancer and heart disease. The risks are high and the connection between chronic and preventable disease associated with poor nutrition and obesity are well-documented.
In an effort to reduce these preventable deaths and diseases, the IAFF developed a campaign to bring awareness to the importance of nutrition and its role in fire fighter health. This campaign will engage our members in creating and maintaining healthy eating habits that support fire fighter training, work demands, fitness goals and long-term health.
Eat for Health.
We want our members equipped to make choices that will protect their long-term health and prevent disease. Using research-based recommendations, Eat for Health guides members through making the connection between dietary choices and health status. This is foundational for lasting change.
Eat for Life.
The physical, emotional and mental demands of a career in the fire service are tedious. There is research to suggest that what we eat may affect not just our physical health, but also our mental health and wellbeing. Quality nutrition practices that support balance at work and home are essential. Learning to Eat for Life, our members learn to feed their bodies to perform well under strenuous conditions. We provide information to support training, fitness goals and recovery for both on and off duty.
Eat for Real.
The fire service has its own unique culture and food is a central component of it. The IAFF promotes healthy choices with a balanced lifestyle, helping members Eat for Real. Understanding how food works allows members the freedom to choose based on personal preferences that support individual goals. This leads to long-term success.
For more information, email [email protected].
Disclaimer: The information contained on this website is for general education purposes only and is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease or medical conditions. Check with your health practitioner before making diet and lifestyle changes.
Lisa Desilet, MS, recently partnered with the IAFF to lead the design and launch of this fire fighter specific nutrition campaign for IAFF members across the U.S. and Canada.
Lisa is a nutrition expert for fire fighters and their families who want to live and eat well.
She takes a real-life approach to nutrition, and as the wife of a fire fighter (Boise, ID Local 149 Captain Phil Desilet) with three kids, she understands that the fire service has its own unique culture and that the physical, emotional and mental demands of a career in the fire service can be tedious.
Lisa believes that quality nutrition practices that support balance at work and home are essential. Her nutrition advice promotes healthy, realistic eating — both on and off duty.