A group of military veterans in Portland are proving that weight loss starts in the kitchen.

The Department of Veterans Affairs reports that 80 percent of military veterans are obese and 165,000 veterans have a body mass index above 40. A body mass index that high means that an individual is too overweight to perform basic functions and might develop a chronic condition such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer. All of these statistics are higher than the national average for civilian Americans.

How has health gotten so out of hand among veterans? Dieticians point to the transition to civilian life, a transition made uneasy by homelessness, addiction and PTSD.

“Food, addictively, works exactly the same neurons in the brain as other addictive substances such as alcohol, and drugs,” Michel Goldschmidt, health promotion at the Portland VA, told NPR. “Homelessness, job challenges, PTSD, issues related to their war experiences. That adds up to using what could be considered to be a socially available and acceptable outlet. And eating is one of them.”

To combat this growing medical issue, the VA is hosting cooking classes in various centers across the country. The VA found that many veterans never learned how to cook for themselves, let alone cook with their health in mind. The classes help veterans hone their skills and become more aware of what nutrients they are taking in everyday.

“I have a better understanding about what’s going into the food and the components of the food I’m eating and using in my cooking,” said Ray Spaulding, an 85 year-old Air Force veteran. “I will be able to control things like my blood sugar, which is a real trial for me because I like sweets.”