American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine

The Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP) is an intensive therapeutic lifestyle modification program (ITLMP) with well-documented success in decreasing risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Plant-based diets and physical activity are components of the program that contribute to these improvements. Yet, there are few studies on how ITLMPs affect risk factors specifically for the geriatric population. The goal of this study was to examine results of CHIP participants with a focus on the older (greater than 65 years) population in Athens, Ohio. Retrospective data from 2011 to 2017 were analyzed for 26 CHIP classes. Recorded variables included body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), blood glucose (BG), and exercise level. Among geriatric participants, significant changes were found in BMI, BP, TC, LDL, HDL, BG, and exercise level (P < .001). As compared to the younger population, changes in variables were equivalent in the geriatric population in all variables (P > .05). These improvements in CVD risk factors among the elderly support the hypothesis that CHIP should be considered for CVD prevention and treatment in the geriatric population.

Purpose: Substantial cancer burden may be prevented through lifestyle modifications. The purpose of this study was to determine the preliminary effectiveness of health coaching for the improvement of health, fitness, and overall well-being of cancer survivors in a community setting. Methods: Participants were recruited from Cancer Support Community Delaware locations. Health coaching was provided to people diagnosed with cancer anywhere along the survivorship continuum. Coaches provided 6 individual sessions. Surveys were sent pre- and post-intervention on topics including fitness, eating habits, sleep, perceived stress, anxiety, depression, and quality of life. Results were analyzed using multilevel modeling. Results: 48 participants completed an average of 85% of health coaching sessions. Coaching participants noted improvements in weekly physical activity frequency, including moderate–vigorous physical activity. Increases were found in healthy eating behavior. Participants reported improvements in the quality of their sleep, including changes in sleep duration and sleep efficiency. Significant reductions were found in perceived stress, anxiety, and depression. Importantly, participants reported improved quality of life, particularly in areas of physical and emotional well-being, as well as functional and total well-being. Conclusion: Preliminary findings indicate significant behavior change in measured outcomes and suggest health coaching may be an important tool for cancer survivorship.

Effective dietary interventions are vital for combating morbidity and mortality, necessitating reliable assessment tools. This article explores diverse dietary assessment methods, emphasizing their complexities and applications. Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs) offer insights into dietary habits over specified periods but require validation for target populations. Traditional Food Records provide detailed insights but are labor-intensive and prone to underreporting. Technology-based and technology-assisted records offer efficient alternatives, leveraging mobile apps and wearable sensors, albeit with access and privacy concerns. 24 hour Dietary Recall (24HR) methods capture detailed intake within a day, with traditional and technology-assisted approaches strengthening population studies. The Automated Multi-Pass Method (AMPM) and technology-assisted ASA24 represent traditional and contemporary 24HR methodologies, respectively, both yielding comprehensive dietary data. In conclusion, dietary assessments are crucial for understanding dietary patterns and health implications. Integration of novel technologies streamlines data collection and analysis, enhancing researchers’ ability to accurately gauge short- and long-term dietary impacts. Proper utilization of these tools empowers researchers to make informed decisions regarding dietary interventions and public health initiatives.

Group-based interventions in health care have demonstrated a positive influence on patient outcomes by strengthening patient-healthcare professional relationships and providing an avenue for patient empowerment through shared experiences and belongingness. Groups have been shown to enhance social and psychological support, improve self-management behaviors, and encourage peer-support. However group settings also present challenges, such as discomforts in sharing within a group context and managing diverse group dynamics. We outline the efficacy and dynamics of group-based activities in health care settings. This includes key behavioral components of groups, such as creating a safe, supportive, and cohesive environment in group activities where confidentiality is paramount. By recognizing principles for group and moderator behaviors, individuals are more likely to maximize the potential of these interventions.

In the realm of healthcare, the significance of social connections cannot be overstated. Beyond the traditional focus on pharmacological interventions and medical procedures, recognizing and nurturing positive social relationships has emerged as a fundamental aspect of lifestyle medicine. This article delves into the multifaceted nature of social connections and their profound impact on health outcomes, particularly in the context of chronic diseases like hypertension, mental health disorders, heart disease, and dementia. Moreover, it explores strategies for healthcare practitioners, with a special emphasis on pharmacists, to foster positive connections with patients, thereby enhancing shared decision-making, self-management, and overall well-being.

Lifestyle medicine focuses on six pillars: a predominantly whole food, plant-based dietary pattern, physical activity, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, sleep, and positive social connection. Lifestyle medicine has been shown to be effective in treating heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension, among others. Despite these data, lifestyle medicine education amongst medical schools continues to be inadequate. Lifestyle Medicine Interest Groups (LMIGs) are student-led organizations which work to fill the gap in lifestyle medicine education by holding a variety of programming for their student bodies, while concurrently advocating for designated lifestyle medicine education within formal curricula. The Donald A. Pegg Student Leadership Award was created by Dr. Beth Frates, current President of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, to recognize outstanding student leaders in the field of lifestyle medicine, and specifically for the work related to their LMIG. The Donald A. Pegg Award provides recipients with LMIG funding for their respective institutions, complementary registration for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine national conference, and a stipend for conference travel. The funding provided by the Donald A. Pegg Award allows LMIGs to expand their reach to their greater student bodies, helping to further the field of lifestyle medicine. The purpose of this article is to highlight the 2022 Donald A. Pegg award recipients and how they are using its merit to advance the field of lifestyle medicine.

There is no longer any serious doubt that daily habits and actions profoundly impact on both short- and long-term health and quality of life. An overwhelming body of scientific and medical literature supports this contention. Thousands of studies support the concept that regular physical activity, healthy nutrition and maintaining a healthy body weight, not smoking cigarettes, obtaining healthy sleep, reducing stress and maintaining positive connections with other individuals all profoundly impact on health. The scientific literature the supports the health impact of these daily habits and actions is underscored by its incorporation into virtually every evidence-based clinical guideline in the area of metabolic diseases. Thus, the scientific basis for lifestyle medicine rests on an enormous body of evidence-based literature. The key issue in lifestyle medicine is to provide an overall framework where these studies, which are often spread over scientific literature in multiple disciplines, can be made accessible to the medical community and to the public at large. This is the essence of the field of lifestyle medicine. The academic basis of lifestyle medicine is robust and needs to be emphasized by all practitioners of lifestyle medicine. This is the key to moving this field forward into the future.

About 16 million adults present with chronic back pain, the sixth most costly condition in the United States (US). Estimates suggest that about 60% of initial back surgeries have a successful outcome; however, many don’t, leaving over 80,000 failed back surgeries per year. Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS) is defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain as back pain, with or without radiating pain, located in the lower limbs, of unknown origin, which persists or begins after surgical procedures are performed to treat lumbar disc herniations. Psychiatric comorbidities and psychosocial factors have been associated with patients presenting with this syndrome. A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed to identify the prevalence of FBSS in a population of patients during the period of January 2019-December 2020 across Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) Healthcare in the US. With a sample of 28,426 patients who underwent back surgery only 8% had FBSS. Those with FBSS (N = 2434) were mainly females (54.27%) with a mood disorder (61.18%), P-value <.0001. Among those with FBSS, there was a statistically significant relationship between mood disorder and smoking (57.37%) and obesity (54.61%) compared to non-smokers and non-obese. Lifestyle interventions may ameliorate disabling symptoms and improve the well-being of this population.

Purpose: Advantages of fluoridated water, dental insurance, and greater awareness of preventive oral healthcare allow many adults in today’s aging cohort to maintain their teeth into their advanced years. The purpose of this study was to describe attitudes, expectations, knowledge, and intentions related to oral health issues from the experiences of older adults living independently in a largely rural south central state. Methods: A qualitative analysis guided by behavioral constructs of the Reasoned Action Approach was utilized to conduct semi-structured interviews of a purposeful sample of adults age 65 years and older living independently. Results: Participant data (N = 26) revealed 5 themes: difficulties accessing dental care; active coping; taking care of your mouth as part of overall health; interactions affecting oral health–related quality of life; and supporting roles. Overall, the intention to attain dental care was affected by the perceived need to prioritize many health issues over oral care. An overarching expectation to have affordable basic services available pervaded. Conclusion: The perceptions of participants reflect socioeconomic determinants that could be influenced through improved health literacy education focused on establishing a greater understanding of the oral systemic link especially as it relates to diabetes.

Introduction. Lifestyle-focused rehabilitation plans need to become part of the standard system of care for the treatment of chronic diseases. To achieve this goal, the KAP of rehabilitation professionals toward lifestyle medicine needs to be understood. This study investigated the niche of orthopedic manual physical therapy and is purposed as a foundational model for continued research. Method. A survey instrument was designed to investigate the KAP of orthopedic manual physical therapists toward lifestyle screening and education. Results. There were 155 participants of which 58.1-72.3% reported frequently talking to their patients about lifestyle topics, while 78.1-80.6% felt highly confident and competent while doing so. Additionally, 92.9-94.8% thought that lifestyle screening and education was important and that physical therapists should be doing it. Participants discussed exercise most frequently with their patients (96.1%) and alcohol the least (12.9%). Participants with advanced degrees (ie, PhD or DSc) had significantly higher Practice (M_Δ= −3.755, P = .001) and Knowledge (M_Δ= −4.14904, P = .020) ratings than those with entry-level physical therapy degrees. Conclusion. There was strong acceptance of lifestyle screening and education in orthopedic manual physical therapy with an emphasis on exercise. This study provides a foundational basis for continued research.

Objectives: The purpose of this retrospective study is to further the limited body of evidence regarding the effects of a group-based boxing intervention for those with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Design: A retrospective cohort study was performed analyzing data collected on outcome measures at 6-month intervals up to 2 years. Individuals participated in the standardized “Rock Steady Boxing” (RSB) program for up to 24 months. Every 6 months, measures were taken of balance (Fullerton Advanced Balance [FAB] Scale), functional mobility (Timed-Up and Go [TUG]), lower extremity strength (30-second Chair Stand [30CST]), and gait speed (10 Meter Walk Test [10MWT]).

Methods: Statistical significance (P < .05) was determined by a two-tailed t test. Data were collected from RSB-affiliated programs at 4 locations across the southeastern United States. Current and/or past participants in RSB with baseline and at least one subsequent outcome measure were included, resulting in 68 participants (54 male, 14 female, and mean age of 71.2 years ± 8.56 standard deviation).

Results: Statistically significant improvements in FAB scale, TUG, and 30CST over time were found at both 6- and 12-month time points. Significant changes continued through 18 months for FAB and 30CST. No significant changes in 10MWT were observed; however, a moderate effect size was observed at the 1-year point.

Conclusions: Participants with PD were able to achieve statistically significant improvements in standard measures of functional mobility, balance, and strength within the timeline of this study. Limitations include the retrospective nature, an inability to monitor adherence, and lack of control over pharmaceutical or other interventions.

Dementia, or major neurocognitive disorder, is one of the most common causes of disability and dependency in older adults with far-reaching social, physical, and economic impacts. In the absence of adequate treatment, much research has been directed towards prevention. Physical exercise has been shown to increase cerebral blood flow, amplify production of neurotrophic factors, and enhance brain volume. Whether these changes on a structural and cellular level result in cognitive preservation is less clear. This systematic review synthesizes findings from seventeen randomized controlled trials that examine the effects of physical activity on global cognition, memory, and executive function in older adults. Cognitive benefits of exercise are strongest for those who are cognitively intact or with mild cognitive impairment. In studies with long-term follow up, cognitive gains tended to decay after cessation of physical intervention suggesting that sustained physical exercise may be required to preserve cognitive function in older adults prior to onset of dementia.

With Japan’s economic growth, its life expectancy increased from 1965, and since 1980, Japan has become one of the longest-lived countries in the world. Strong government-led initiatives such as low-cost health insurance, widely distributed health screenings, a new law to prevent non-communicable diseases established in 1956, Shokuiku (Japanese culinary education), and stress-measuring systems in the workplace contributed to the population’s longevity. In addition to these public initiatives, Japan has benefited from evolving lifestyle practices over its long history. These include Washoku (Japanese traditional food), which utilizes the complex interaction of individual nutrients unique to Japan as well as numerous metabolically active compounds, the interrelation of Japan’s population levels with its plant-dominant diet, a mindful culture connected with nature, and the principle of hara-hachi-bu (Confucianism-based caloric restriction habit; “eat until 80% full”), and so on. In 2002, Japan took the remarkable action of stipulating by law that citizens must deepen their interest in and understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyle habits, be aware of their own health status, and strive to improve their health throughout their lives. Today, to protect its future, Japan must face a new challenge: a population that is declining and is the world’s fastest-aging.