Fifteen Eighty Four

For the past six years, I’ve been digging into the world of Lifestyle Medicine at Imperial College London – a field that I now believe is of huge importance for the future of healthcare – and population health. It’s been a journey of learning, teaching, and – sometimes – navigating a degree of scepticism.

Now, I’m thrilled to hold in my hands one of the first copies of our new textbook Essential Lifestyle Medicine published by our colleagues and partners at Cambridge University Press.

Lifestyle Medicine: the term itself can spark debate! Some of my medical colleagues have gently dismissed it as “common sense” – advice they feel they’re already quite capable of giving. On the other hand, some (often public health colleagues) have voiced concerns even labelling it a potential “Trojan Horse” to introduce non-evidence based interventions. Some of them (quite sensibly) fear it will individualise blame for systemic inequalities or distract from broader public health interventions.

I understand these viewpoints, but I respectfully disagree. While the principles of healthy eating, physical activity, sleeping adequately, fostering healthy relationships (and others) might sound like common sense, the application of these principles in a clinical, evidence-based, and person-centred way is rather less straightforward. It requires specific knowledge, skills, and a structured approach. Far from being a Trojan Horse, I believe Lifestyle Medicine can be a force-multiplier to public health: acting as a bridge to general practice – a connection that has historically been under-served.

Health care systems across the world (like our NHS in England) are under unprecedented strain. Lifestyle Medicine offers a proactive and sustainable approach. It’s about equipping individuals and healthcare professionals with the tools to prevent and manage the rising-tide of long-term, lifestyle-related diseases. It’s not about replacing traditional medical or public health strategies, but strengthening them.

This is why we developed Essential Lifestyle Medicine. We saw a pressing need for a resource that clearly defines the scope and practice of Lifestyle Medicine. And within a universal healthcare context. For too long, clinicians interested in this area have asked, “Where do I start?” This textbook is our answer.

We’ve broken-down Lifestyle Medicine into core components:

• Principles: the fundamental concepts, historical and ethical considerations under-pinning the field.
• Foundational knowledge: the science and evidence base, ranging from cellular mechanisms through to planetary health.
• Pillars: a deep-dive into the “six pillars” – mental wellbeing, minimising harmful substances, healthy relationships, healthy eating, sleep and physical activity.
• Clinical Skills: practical guidance on how to integrate Lifestyle Medicine into patient consultations, including behaviour change techniques, motivational interviewing, and shared decision-making.

This textbook is designed for a wide audience. From undergraduate medical students to postgraduate learners and seasoned healthcare professionals. The enthusiasm we’ve already witnessed is incredibly encouraging. Just last week, I contributed to a webinar that drew hundreds of primary care physicians. But Lifestyle Medicine’s reach and potential is further than only primary care: colleagues from secondary care and a diverse range of allied health professions are passionate about this topic. It’s clear there’s an appetite for this knowledge.

Developing Essential Lifestyle Medicine has been a huge, multidisciplinary effort spanning more than two years. We’ve drawn on the expertise of leading figures from countless fields and from across the globe. This global collaboration has enriched the textbook, ensuring it represents a broad and relevant understanding of the challenges and opportunities in promoting healthier lifestyles.

It’s been a busy couple of years, filled with challenges and reasons for celebration. But looking at the final product, I am immensely proud of what our dedicated team has accomplished. We believe Essential Lifestyle Medicine will empower clinicians and learners to confidently and effectively integrate lifestyle interventions into their practice. It has the potential to improve patient outcomes and contribute to a more sustainable and health-focused future for all. We are just at the beginning of embedding Lifestyle Medicine into the mainstream, but with resources like this, the journey forward looks brighter and more achievable than ever.

Title: Essential Lifestyle Medicine

ISBN: 9781009391580

Authors: Richard Pinder, Christopher-James Harvey and Ellen Fallows