Anu Räisänen, director of Health EU Initiatives and assistant professor, collaborated on an article stressing the significance of integrating lifestyle medicine competencies into the education of future clinicians. The piece, published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, outlines the American College of Lifestyle Medicine’s initiative to incorporate lifestyle medicine content into graduate-level health professions programs, such as physical therapy and occupational therapy. By equipping future healthcare professionals with the skills to address lifestyle-related chronic conditions through evidence-based lifestyle interventions, the integration of lifestyle medicine into curricula is expected to enhance patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and increase clinician satisfaction. Räisänen and her colleagues highlight the crucial role of physical and occupational therapists in promoting health and managing lifestyle-related conditions. The article showcases how various programs have implemented lifestyle medicine competencies, using a case example from a doctor of physical therapy curriculum. Emphasizing the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—nutrition, physical activity, stress management, restorative sleep, social connection, and avoidance of risky substances—the research demonstrates the transformative potential of lifestyle medicine in healthcare education and practice. This work aims to prepare healthcare professionals to effectively prevent, manage, and reverse chronic diseases through lifestyle interventions.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
