Lifestyle medicine is the application of medical, behavioral, motivational, and environmental principles to manage lifestyle-related health issues in a clinical setting. Teaching self-care and self-management are crucial elements of this approach.

A landmark article, “Physician Competencies for Prescribing Lifestyle Medicine,” was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2010. This pivotal piece was the first to outline the necessary competencies for physicians to practice primary care-based lifestyle medicine. Authored by a distinguished panel of lifestyle medicine experts from various disciplines and organizations, including the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, it set the foundation for the practice.

Lifestyle medicine is now recognized as a foundational science for health and well-being. It promotes the prevention of avoidable lifestyle-related diseases and advocates for the treatment and reversal of 21st-century diseases through a holistic approach. By influencing healthcare practices and health policies, lifestyle medicine aims to raise awareness and provide leadership and support for healthcare practitioners.

Join us at the Lifestyle Medicine Conference to explore the principles of lifestyle medicine, engage with leading experts, and gain insights into how this vital field is shaping the future of healthcare.

References

ACLM. What is Lifestyle Medicine. 2015 5/21/2018; Available from: https://www.lifestylemedicine.org/What-is-Lifestyle-Medicine.
Lianov, L., Core Competencies lntroducton in Lifestyle Medicine Competencies. 2018, ACPM, ACLM: American College of Preventive Medicine.
Egger, G., A Binns, and S. Rossner, Lifestyle Medicine: Managing Diseases of Lifestyle in the 21st Century. 2010: McGraw-Hill.
Rankin, P, et al., Effectiveness of a volunteer-delivered lifestyle modification program for reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors. Am J Cardiol, 2012. 109(1 ): p. 82-6.
Barnard, R.J., et al., Response of non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients to an intensive program of diet and exercise. Diabetes Care, 1982. 5(4): p. 370-4.
Ornish, D., et al., Intensive lifestyle changes for reversal of coronary heart disease. Jama, 1998. 280(23): p. 2001-7.
Ornish, D., et al., Can lifestyle changes reverse coronary heart disease? The Lifestyle Heart Trial. Lancet, 1990. 336(8708)