Research Estimates the Benefit of Following Key Lifestyle Behaviors
Authors of a research article published in Circulation concluded that adopting a healthy lifestyle could substantially reduce premature mortality and prolong life expectancy in U.S. adults. Titled " Impact of Healthy Lifestyle Factors on Life Expectancies in the US Population," the study utilized data from several large-scale surveys and databases.
The research focused on five modifiable lifestyle factors and did not include clinical risk factors such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and medication use. Analysis indicated that independent behaviors associated with a low risk of premature mortality included:
  • A healthy diet pattern
  • Moderate alcohol consumption
  • Non-smoking status
  • A normal weight
  • Regular physical activity

The authors estimated that adhering to these five low-risk lifestyle behaviors could increase a person's life expectancy at age 50 by 14.0 and 12.2 years (for men and women respectively) compared to people not following any of the five behaviors.
Advancing Policy Development in Lifestyle Medicine Education
A recent webinar features the efforts of the Lifestyle Medicine Education Collaborative (LMEd) and its member organizations, including ACPM, to increase momentum for lifestyle medicine on a societal level by supporting federal policy.

Presenters Susan Benigas, American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM); Dani Pere, American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM), James Whitehead, American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and Sheila Franklin, American Council on Exercise (ACE), provided first-hand knowledge of working on Capitol Hill, supporting bills, and achieving positive legislative results.
Three specific bills currently being considered on Capitol Hill were discussed: HR1413 (ENRICH Act), HR1634 (EAT for Health Act of 2017), and HR1267 (PHIT Act). ACPM and LMEd also held a congressional briefing July 2017 on the ENRICH and EAT acts with sponsoring Representatives, and stressed the critical need to include training on nutrition, physical activity, and other lifestyle elements in medical school curricula and continuing medical education. 
ACPM Features Lifestyle Medicine at Preventive Medicine 2018
ACPM will host Preventive Medicine 2018 in Chicago next week for more than 600 preventive medicine p hysicians and other medical professionals dedicated to disease prevention and health promotion. The meeting program is full of topics related to lifestyle medicine with the following four sessions comprising the Lifestyle Medicine & Precision Public Health track:

If attending the meeting, visit VISIT BOOTH 102 where ACPM will be raffling off 4 free enrollments to the Lifestyle Medicine Core Competencies Program !
ACPM Supports National Stroke Awareness Month
May is National Stroke Awareness Month. ACPM is committed to supporting efforts by the CDC's Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention and the MillionHearts campaign to increase awareness among adults ages 35 to 64 of stroke risk factors, signs, and symptoms to inspire action. The prevalence of stroke risk factors is increasing among younger and middle-aged adults even though about 80 percent of strokes are preventable.

Key messages:

  • Stroke can happen to anyone at any time. Stroke is not just an older person’s disease. Risk factors for stroke such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes are happening at younger ages. 
  • Know your risks. There are many risk factors that can contribute to stroke. Understanding your risk of stroke is critical to improving health.
  • Know the signs. Stroke can look different for everyone. Numbness, confusion, trouble seeing, and trouble walking are just a few indicators that you or someone you know may be having a stroke. 
  • Act F.A.S.T. Every minute counts when you or someone you know is having a stroke; that’s why it’s important to act F.A.S.T.—face, arms, speech and time—and call 9-1-1 right away.
The National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention—of which ACPM is a member—is also having a Mid-Year Member Meeting celebrating World Hypertension Day on May 17 (1:00–2:00pm EDT). The event will feature speakers Stephen Sidney, MD, MPH and the Hon. Ruben Pineda, along with updates on hypertension control successes.
NIOSH Gathers Diverse Stakeholders to Advance Worker Health
Last week the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) held their the 2nd International Symposium to Advance Total Worker Health®, of which ACPM has been a presenting partner. The Symposium, May 8-11 in Bethesda, MD had a theme of ' Work & Well-Being: How Safer, Healthier Work can Enhance Well-Being.' The conference brought together experts from academia, labor, business, and government, to examine opportunities to make workplaces safer and improve the health and well-being of the workforce across the nation and world.
NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard speaking
at the Total Worker Health® Symposium
OPPORTUNITIES
Apply by May 18
ACPM is seeking three members with expertise in brain health, age-related cognitive decline, dementia, and associated evidence-based interventions to serve on a peer review committee. Committee volunteers will review and provide constructive feedback on the first draft of a new continuing education module on brain health titled 'Lifestyle Medicine and Prevention of Age Related Cognitive Decline and Dementia.' ACPM is offering an honorarium of $1000 to each committee member after the completion of the review process. Review a the full description of the opportunity, and, if interested in volunteering, please contact Shannon Haworth (shaworth@acpm.org) by Friday, May 18.
May 22 (1-2pm CDT)
In this webinar, Dr. Beth Frates, Assistant Clinical Professor at Harvard Medical School and lead author of the Lifestyle Medicine Course Syllabus, will discuss how to effectively incorporate Lifestyle Medicine into the academic setting.
Early registration deadline June 5
Organizers have announced several keynote speakers, plenary panels, and concurrent sessions scheduled for the 2018 Healthy Aging Summit, July 16-17 in Washington, DC. Notably, Terry Fulmer, President of The John A. Hartford Foundation, will give the closing lecture Tuesday late afternoon and plenary panels will discuss: 'Brain Health,' 'Leadership in Aging and the State of the Science,' and 'Leveraging Technology and International Examples to Age in Place.' View the online meeting program for the all confirmed activities exploring ways for diverse stakeholders to help Americans stay healthy as they age.
Due by June 25
Abstracts addressing lifestyle medicine research and projects are being accepted for oral and poster presentation opportunities at the 1st European Lifestyle Medicine Congress, to be held November 10-11 in Geneva, Switzerland. Topics may include but are not limited to: nutrition and dietetics, physical activity, stress therapy, environmental health, behavior change, tobacco cessation, sleep, and sexual health. Abstracts must be in English, no more than 300 words, and must be received no later than June 25. All abstracts received will be evaluated by the European Lifestyle Medicine Organization Scientific Committee. Notifications regarding acceptance will be made by July 13.
July 24 (2:00pm EDT)
In this webinar, American Board of Lifestyle Medicine (ABLM) Chair, Dr. Wayne Dysinger and new ABLM certificate holder Dr. Elizabeth Morris will discuss opportunities to complete the ABLM certification and how to best align your Lifestyle Medicine training program to prepare students for the ABLM.
June 5 (8pm EDT) + June 18 (9pm EDT)
It's tough to help patients make lifestyle changes. Knowing does not equal doing. As clinicians, we need tools to promote the "doing" ... cooking more at home and CHEF Coaching can help! Learn more about the program by registering to attend an upcoming information session.
"One of the goals I had for ... [myself] was to incorporate cooking into my routine. [My coach] and I worked together in cleaning out my pantry and then restocking it so that I would always have easy options for when I got home in the evenings to put together a quick and easy meal. ...[She] helped me to think through what a 'meal' really means when I want to have a healthy lifestyle. …[working with a] Culinary Coach is great and taught me so much that I'm still utilizing at home!" – S. Meyer, PhD
RESEARCH / NEWS
HEART / BLOOD PRESSURE
Impact of Healthy Lifestyle Factors on Life Expectancies in the US Population – (Featured above) – Yanping Li, et al. (Circulation)
Routine Assessment and Promotion of Physical Activity in Healthcare Settings: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association – This statement provides a comprehensive review and specific recommendations of the evidence on the feasibility, validity, and effectiveness of assessing and promoting physical activity in healthcare settings for adult patients. – Felipe Lobelo, et al. (Circulation)
To Slash Your Risk of Heart Disease, Keep Moving – Gretchen Reynolds (The New York Times)
Essential steps to help patients of color control BP – To improve blood-pressure control rates and hypertension among black patients, physicians need to address lifestyle changes, health literacy, medication adherence and family support. – Sara Berg (AMA Wire)
LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS / CARE
California Becomes The First State To Prescribe Food As Medicine – A new pilot program will fund six nonprofit organizations throughout California that will deliver free meals to those who are insured by Medicaid and need a specific diet to help them manage their medical condition. – Anna Almendrala (HuffPost)
Future of medicine could be tailored to your individual genetics if data gathered is meaningful – In the future, medicine will be tailored to your individual “genome” or genetic code, lifestyle and community. Rather than a one-size-fits-most treatment, doctors will use data to determine what therapies you should receive based on genetic traits you’ve inherited from family, your daily habits, and where you live. – Arielle Kane (The Hill)
Lifestyle Medicine in Community: By the Numbers – This podcast features Dr. Mohan-pal Singh Chandan, a GP who was at the Prescribing Lifestyle Medicine Conference this year and has garnered government support to start up a community-based lifestyle medicine clinic in a poor area of inner city Birmingham, UK. – (Evolution of Medicine Podcast)
MORE TOPICS
We're No. 1 ... in healthcare spending – The U.S. continues to outpace other industrialized nations when it comes to healthcare spending. Researchers from Harvard University and the London School of Economics analyzed data from 11 high-income countries and found that although utilization rates were relatively similar, the U.S. spends twice as much on medical care. Labor and pharmaceuticals were key drivers. – (Modern Healthcare)
Eight Lessons Learned from Collaborating with Insurers, Employers, and Healthcare Provider Associations to Prevent Obesity – The white paper includes key insights on the benefits of collective investment in obesity prevention, healthcare payment models, minimizing financial risk through clear communication surrounding reimbursement processes, how to build demand for weight management services, and the importance of robust provider and referral networks. – (Alliance for a Healthier Generation)
Effectiveness of face masks used to protect Beijing residents against particulate air pollution – Cherrie JW, et al. (Occupational and Environmental Medicine)
8+ Striking Nutrition Studies Every Medical Student Should Read – Andrew Beauchesne (Forks Over Knives)
Share your lifestyle medicine news, research, and upcoming events with your colleagues. Submit information to ACPM's Dani Pere at dpere@acpm.org .
MEETINGS
American College of Preventive Medicine
May 23-26; Chicago, IL
The Lifestyle Medicine and Precision Public Health track will examine the emerging science of personalized/precision medicine in regard to lifestyle medicine and precision public health.
National Wellness Institute
June 18-20; Saint Paul, MN
ACPM's Dani Pere will be presenting on lifestyle medicine and related topics.
The Institute of Lifestyle Medicine / Spaulding Rehabilitation Network
June 22-23; Boston, MA
Early bird deadline ends April 30.
British Society of Lifestyle Medicine
June 23; Edinburgh, United Kingdom
HHS / ACPM
July 16-17; Washington, DC
Open to health professionals and patients from all walks of life, the Summit is a unique opportunity to explore the factors that influence health in the later years of life and contribute to how we approach aging in America. The focus will be on maximizing the health of all older adults through prevention strategies that encourage healthy lifestyles, planning for aging, and improving the use of preventive services. Early registration rates are available through June 5.
Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine
August 17-19; Brisbane, Australia
American College of Lifestyle Medicine
October 21-24; Indianapolis, IN
American Board of Lifestyle Medicine
October 25; Indianapolis, IN
European Lifestyle Medicine Organization
November 10-11; Geneva, Switzerland
The Congress intends to bring together the most prestigious European and International professionals with clinical expertise and scientific recognition to facilitate the spread and exchange of evidenced based knowledge, skills and attitudes, between experts, researchers, clinicians and trainees. The abstract submission deadline is June 25.
Lifestyle Medicine is distributed by the American College of Preventive Medicine. If forwarded to you, please subscribe to receive future newsletters and emails.
Using the unsubscribe link below will stop delivery of all ACPM emails to the address listed, not just this newsletter or emails involving this topic.