Lifestyle medicine: A positive approach to stemming the tide of non-communicable diseases in South Africa.

Dave R Glass

doi:10.4102/safp.v63i1.5394

Abstract

Non-communicable diseases account for most deaths globally and they are the main reason for patient consultations. Conventional medicine focuses on pharmaceutical and surgical interventions to manage these diseases. Most management protocols recognise the foundational role of lifestyle changes, but practical lifestyle medicine interventions need to become part of the medical curriculum and part of each consultation to make an impact. This article presents the rationale for the launch of the South African Lifestyle Medicine Association as an important facilitator of that process.

Highlights

According to a World Health Organization fact sheet dated 1st June 2018,1 non-communicable diseases (NCDs) kill 41 million people each year (71% of all deaths globally)
We propose that Lifestyle Medicine (LM) is one such ‘evidence-based and focused’ intervention that can respond to this threat
A comprehensive review of the effectiveness of LM is presented by Balazs Bodai et al.[25]. With this surge in research demonstrating the possibility of the reversal of hitherto relentlessly progressive NCDs, new hope was generated in the practice of medicine

Summary

Introduction

According to a World Health Organization fact sheet dated 1st June 2018,1 non-communicable diseases (NCDs) kill 41 million people each year (71% of all deaths globally). ‘NCDs are a result of a combination of various genetic, environmental and especially lifestyle factors, including smoking, alcohol abuse, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity’.2 The South African Non-communicable Diseases Alliance states: NCDs, currently pose one of the biggest threats to health and development globally, in low- and middle-income countries. High quality, evidence based and focussed interventions are needed to promote health, prevent disease and provide more effective and equitable care and treatment for people living with NCDs at all levels of the health system.[3]

Results

Conclusion