Objective: This proposal was developed at the request of, and with input from, the Research Council of the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA's) National Advisory Board for Nutrition and Food Services, in an effort to address obesity, a major health problem for VA patients. The prevalence of obesity in the United States has been increasing at an alarming rate. As a result, obesity related chronic diseases such as diabetes are also increasing in prevalence. While interventions that focus only on dietary changes can result in significant weight loss, the lost weight is often rapidly regained. Physical activity, when added to a dietary weight loss program, not only increases the initial weight loss but it also can play a critical role in preventing weight regain. The primary objective of the proposed study is to test the efficacy of a low-cost, innovative weight loss program targeting lifestyle physical activity and diet in individuals with cardiovascular risk factors or disease.