Nutrition as a Part of Lifestyle Medicine Interventions ^†

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) affects the lives of millions of people around the globe. It poses devastating health consequences for individuals, families and communities, threatening to overwhelm health systems. Non-communicable diseases, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease, are jointly responsible for around 75% of all deaths worldwide. The major NCD risk factors are modifiable behaviors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and alcohol abuse. The European Commission has estimated that health promotion and disease prevention strategies can reduce the burden of NCDs by up to 70%. Taking this into consideration, the imperative approach to reducing the spread of NCDs is to control related risk factors. Methods: A literature review was performed by using major search engines such as Google Scholar, PubMed and ScienceDirect. The keywords used in the search were ‘nutrition’, ‘lifestyle interventions’, and ‘NCD’. The collected information was then critically assessed. Results and discussion: Lifestyle medicine (LM) is a branch of medicine focused on preventive healthcare and self-care dealing with the prevention, education, research and treatment of disorders caused by lifestyle factors. It aims to improve individuals’ health and quality of life through the six pillars of LM: nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances and positive social connection. Multiple studies have demonstrated that a lifestyle incorporating health-promoting practices profoundly impacts health and quality of life. The rising reputation of lifestyle medicine interventions can be attributed to their effectiveness in managing chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and obesity. Nutrition is one of the leading lifestyle modification factors with an impact on health status. An appropriate diet could reduce NCD risk and increase life expectancy due to different mechanisms, including effects on the immune system, gut microbiome modulation, anti-inflammatory properties, and others. Nutrition in particular plays a prominent role in LM interventions as it is essential to promoting health and preventing or even reversing disease. It is an integral part of LM interventions and is critical for the success of any LM program.