Medifast, Inc. Announces Appointment of Three Additional Independent Board Members

Medifast, Inc. Announces Appointment of Three Additional Independent Board
Members

OWINGS MILLS, Md., Oct. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Medifast, Inc. (NYSE:
MED), a provider of leading clinically-proven portion controlled weight-loss
programs, today announced the election of H.C. "Barney" Barnum, Jr., Jason L.
Groves, and Jerry D. Reece, to the Medifast Board of Directors at the Medifast
Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on October 9, 2009. With the addition of
Mssrs. Barnum, Groves and Reece, the Medifast Board of Directors is now
comprised of fourteen members, ten of which are classified as independent
under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange.

Additionally, four current members of the Medifast Board of Directors were
re-elected. Barry B. Bondroff, George J. Lavin, Catherine T. Maguire and
Jeannette M. Mills will hold office for a three-year period until 2012. John
P. McDaniel was also elected to a one-year term. Mr. McDaniel was appointed
to the Medifast Board of Directors in March 2009.

Colonel Brad MacDonald, USMC (Ret.), chairman of the Board of Directors of
Medifast, Inc., commented, "We are pleased that individuals with the
experience of Barney, Jason and Jerry have agreed to join the board of
Medifast. Their collective experience in business overlaid on their commitment
to the service of our country will accrue to the benefit of Medifast
shareholders in the years to come."

"The addition of these highly qualified individuals to our board continues the
tradition of a highly independent and diversified board of directors. Ten of
our fourteen directors are classified as independent by NYSE guidelines; three
are women, two are African-American, and four are under the age of 40 years.
We firmly believe that this broad diversification in corporate governance will
serve the best interests of all of our stakeholders - customers, employees and
shareholders."

Mr. Barnum was sworn in as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for
Reserve Affairs on July 23, 2001. In this capacity he was responsible for all
matters regarding the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve including manpower,
equipment, policy and budgeting. On Jan. 20, 2009, Barnum was designated
Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

Mr. Barnum was the fourth Marine to be awarded the nation's highest honor, the
Medal of Honor for valor in Vietnam. He retired from the Marine Corps in
August 1989 after 27 and one-half years of service. Barnum served multiple
tours as an artilleryman with both the 3rd and 2nd Marine Divisions to include
two tours in Vietnam; 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing; guard officer at Marine
Barracks, Pearl Harbor, and operations officer, Hawaiian Armed Forces Police;
weapons instructor at the Officer Basic School; four years at Marine Corps
Recruit Depot, Parris Island, as commanding officer, Headquarters Company and
the 2nd Recruit Training Battalion of the Training Regiment; Chief of Current
Operations, US Central Command where he planned and executed the first
U.S./Jordanian joint exercise staff as the commander of U.S. Forces and twice
planned and executed Operation Bright Star spread over four southwest Asian
countries involving 26,000 personnel. Headquarters Marine Corps tours
included: aide to the assistant commandant as a captain and deputy director
Public Affairs, Director Special Projects Directorate and Military Secretary
to the Commandant as a colonel. Upon retirement in 1989, Barnum served as the
principal director, Drug Enforcement Policy, Office of the Secretary of
Defense.

Mr. Barnum's personal medals and decorations include: the Medal of Honor;
Defense Superior Service Medal; Legion of Merit; the Bronze Star Medal with
Combat "V" and gold star in lieu of a second award; Purple Heart; Meritorious
Service Medal; Navy Commendation Medal; Navy Achievement Medal with Combat
"V"; Combat Action Ribbon; Presidential Unit Citation; Army Presidential Unit
Citation; Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Navy Unit Citation; two awards of the
Meritorious Unit Citation; the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry (silver) and the
Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award.

Mr. Barnum has attended The Basic School, U.S. Army Field Artillery School,
Amphibious Warfare School, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the
U.S. Naval War College. He is the past president of the Congressional Medal of
Honor Society, Connecticut Man of the Year '67, presented Honorary Legum
Doctorem St. Anselm College; Rotary Paul Harris Fellow; Abe Pollin Leadership
Award '03, Marine Corps League "Iron Mike" Award and Order of the Carabao
Distinguished Service Award.

Mr. Jason L. Groves is a Manager for Verizon's Public Policy and External
Affairs, Federal Regulatory Division in Washington, D.C. with responsibility
for Federal Communication Commission enforcement matters. Currently, he is
Verizon Maryland External Affairs Assistant Vice President. Mr. Groves is a
U.S. Army veteran. He was a direct commissioned Judge Advocate in the United
States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG). As a JAG Officer, he
practiced law while stationed at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. He had the
distinction of prosecuting criminal cases in the District Court of Maryland as
a Special Assistant United States Attorney. Over the course of three years, he
received two Army Achievement Medals, and one Army Commendation Medal. Mr.
Groves is a graduate of the Disney University College Program for managers. He
received his Bachelor of Science degree, cum laude, in Business with a
concentration in Hospitality Management from Bethune-Cookman College. He also
obtained his law degree from North Carolina Central University School of Law
and is a member of the New Jersey and District of Columbia bars as well as
several bar associations.

Mr. Jerry D. Reece is chief executive officer of Reece & Nichols Realtors, the
largest residential real estate brokerage in Greater Kansas City. With over 30
years experience in real estate, Jerry Reece formed the company in early 1987.
In addition to marketing resale homes as well as a broad range of new home
subdivisions, the company specializes in the corporate transferee market.
After graduating from the University of Oregon in 1963 with a B.S. in Finance,
Jerry Reece joined the United States Marine Corps and served in Hawaii and
Vietnam as a first lieutenant. Following active duty, he continued his service
in the Marine Corps Reserve. His various assignments included the command of a
rifle battalion and service as a member of the Secretary of the Navy's Marine
Corps Reserve Policy Board at the Pentagon. Retired with the rank of colonel,
he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Marine Toys for Tots
Foundation and a trustee of the Marine Corps Reserve Officers Association
Foundation. His personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, The Navy
Commendation Medal with Combat "V" and the Combat Action Ribbon.

About Medifast:

Medifast (NYSE: MED) is the leading easy-to-use, clinically proven,
portion-controlled weight-loss program. Medifast has been recommended by over
20,000 doctors and used by over one million customers since 1980. It is
committed to enriching lives by providing innovative choices for lasting
health. Medifast programs have been proven effective through studies by major
university teaching hospitals. The company sells its products and programs via
four unique distribution channels: 1) the web and national call centers, 2)
the Take Shape For Life personal coaching division, 3) medically supervised
Medifast Weight Control Centers, and 4) a national network of physicians.
Medifast was founded in 1980 and is located in Owings Mills, Maryland. For
more information, log onto http://www.choosemedifast.com.

Safe Harbor Statement
Please Note: This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally can
be identified by use of phrases or terminology such as "intend" or other
similar words or the negative of such terminology. Similarly, descriptions of
Medifast's objectives, strategies, plans, goals or targets contained herein
are also considered forward-looking statements. Medifast believes this release
should be read in conjunction with all of its filings with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission and cautions its readers that these
forward-looking statements are subject to certain events, risks,
uncertainties, and other factors. Some of these factors include, among others,
Medifast's inability to attract and retain independent Associates and Members,
stability in the pricing of print, TV and Direct Mail marketing initiatives
affecting the cost to acquire customers, increases in competition, litigation,
regulatory changes, and its planned growth into new domestic and international
markets and new channels of distribution. Although Medifast believes that the
expectations, statements, and assumptions reflected in these forward- looking
statements are reasonable, it cautions readers to always consider all of the
risk factors and any other cautionary statements carefully in evaluating each
forward-looking statement in this release, as well as those set forth in its
latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and other
filings filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission,
including its current reports on Form 8-K. All of the forward-looking
statements contained herein speak only as of the date of this release.

MED-G

Contact: Brendan Connors Lytham Partners, LLC
Vice President - Finance Robert Blum
ir@choosemedifast.com Joe Diaz
Joe Dorame
602-889-9700

SOURCE Medifast, Inc.

Brendan Connors, Vice President - Finance of Medifast, Inc.,
ir@choosemedifast.com; or Robert Blum, Joe Diaz or Joe Dorame,
+1-602-889-9700, all of Lytham Partners, LLC, for Medifast, Inc.