McChord welcomes new dietician

  • Published
  • By Tyler Hemstreet
  • 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Airmen, dependents and retirees have a new resource on their side to help them eat healthy and stay fit. 

Brent Carney, a registered dietician for 18 years, was recently hired to work in the 62nd Medical Group's Health and Wellness Center.

He will work with Airmen, spouses, retirees and children and help to promote a variety of nutritional educational activities around the base, said Staff Sgt. Joy Moon, 62nd Medical Operations Squadron. 

"With him being on staff we have the ability to do a bit more and touch every part of the base population," Sergeant Moon said.

Having Mr. Carney is also a bonus when it comes to the nutrition classes that the HAWC offers, she said.

"He brings some new light to the subject because now we have a registered dietician teaching it," Sergeant Moon said.

The HAWC is even considering adding a few new nutrition classes in the future to better provide for the base population, she said.

All March Mr. Carney has been at various locations such as the child development center, Escape Zone and the youth center hosting activities as part of National Nutrition Month. 

Activities such as planting seeds to teach children about the benefits of growing and eating vegetables and cutting up exotic fruits so children can taste them are just a couple of the ways Mr. Carney is teaching nutrition to children.

He said he enjoyed using time this month to spread information about nutrition and getting children excited about it. 

When it comes to nutrition, it's important to see the bigger picture, Mr. Carney said.

"I like to keep it simple," he said. 

"Some people get too focused on certain components of nutrition. People shouldn't focus on just one aspect of nutrition like certain fad diets do. When people try and put in a drastic change to their diet, it can end up in failure."

That means eating certain foods in moderation, he said.

Mr. Carney said he also plans on teaching the preventative component of nutrition education to his patients so they can better equip themselves to prevent health problems in the future.

"Hopefully we'll be able to up the nutrition information available to the base and support the community," he said.