Medical Avatars—An Innovative Approach to Fostering Health Promotion and Lifestyle Change

Unhealthy behaviors are highly prevalent in the veteran population. Seventy percent of veterans are overweight or obese,(1) 27% are smokers,(2) 46% do not meet physical activity recommendations,(3) and 56% report binge or heavy alcohol use.(4) Healthy lifestyle interventions that change these behaviors can contribute to preventing chronic disease or to improving the effects of existing conditions. What does it take to change patients' behavior in a beneficial way?