UNF to give Flagler County veterans fitness trackers, help them reach wellness, health goals

FILE - In this Aug. 16, 2018, file photo, the Fitbit Charge 3 fitness trackers are displayed in New York. Googles parent company is buying wearable device maker Fitbit for about $2.1 billion. Alphabet said Friday, Nov. 1, 2019, that it will pay $7.35 per share. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) (Richard Drew, Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – The University of North Florida’s initiative, MedNexus, is launching a pilot virtual program to help veterans in Flagler County reach their fitness and wellness goals by using a wearable Fitbit device.

According to UNF MedNexus, this program will also help veterans increase their physical activity and reduce weight which could prevent future hospitalizations or other complications.

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“As we honor Veterans Day this week, we are proud to launch this health monitoring program for the Flagler County veterans community that will help those who have given so much in service to our country,” said Dr. Julie Merten, UNF MedNexus associate dean.

Veterans in this program will have their heart rate, activity level, nutritional status, sleep patterns and maximal oxygen consumption monitored frequently.

They will be able to see their health status on a custom app on their smartphone and will receive daily emails with specific recommendations to improve their health status, according to UNF.

Dr. Shyam Paryani, a retired physician and current UNF Health Administration faculty member, is leading this program.

Veterans interested in joining the program can attend an informational session hosted by Dr. Paryani at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at the Flagler County Government Services Building located at 1769 E. Moody Blvd. in Bunnell, Florida.

For more information on the program or to register for the information session, contact Dr. Paryani at s.paryani@unf.edu.


About the Author

Marcela joined News4JAX in 2023. She grew up in Mexico and eventually moved to California to pursue her dream of becoming a journalist. Now, she is a proud San Diego State University alumna who has many years of experience in TV and digital journalism.

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