Learning Objectives

1. Understand the Impact of Lifestyle Medicine: Educate physicians on the connection between the top 10 causes of death  and the role of Lifestyle Medicine (LM) in preventing and reversing chronic diseases.

2. Explain the Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine: Clearly define and explore the six pillars of LM—nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, social connection, and avoiding risky substances—and how these can be incorporated into daily practice.

3. Identify Common Barriers to Implementing LM in Practice: Discuss the key challenges faced by practitioners, such as lack of time, confidence, interdisciplinary teams, resources and navigating complexities of behavior change, and how these barriers hinder the integration of LM into patient care.

4. Provide Practical Solutions to Overcome Challenges: Offer evidence-based strategies and tools, such as pre-visit preparation, patient readiness assessment, clinic culture changes, and the 5 A’s of behavioral change, to help practitioners effectively implement LM.

5. Equip Physicians with Actionable Tools: Introduce practical tools like discovering the patient’s "why," setting SMART goals, building interdisciplinary teams, and identifying appropriate resources to create a sustainable LM practice in their clinical environment.

Abstract

In this talk, we will explore the transformative power of Lifestyle Medicine (LM) and why it is essential for healthcare professionals to integrate it into their daily practice. Despite the potential of LM to prevent and reverse chronic diseases, many practitioners face obstacles in applying its principles. This presentation will highlight the top 10 causes of death and show how many are preventable through lifestyle interventions.
We will begin by defining Lifestyle Medicine and emphasizing the importance of its six foundational pillars: nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, social connections, and avoiding risky substances. Though these pillars seem straightforward, why is it that they are not yet a standard part of routine clinical practice? The barriers are significant—ranging from time constraints and lack of confidence to challenges in patient motivation, limited interdisciplinary teams, difficulty navigating the complexities of behavior change and insufficient office and community resources.
In this session, we will tackle these challenges head-on, offering practical solutions to help busy practitioners confidently incorporate LM into their workflow. From pre-visit strategies to creating a supportive clinic environment, we will discuss how to prepare patients before they even arrive, use forms to assess readiness for change, and align patient goals with LM interventions. We’ll also delve into the 5 A’s of behavior change—assess, advise, agree, assist, and arrange—and how these can be adapted to focus on nutrition and other LM interventions.
Additionally, you’ll gain valuable tools to apply in your practice, including methods to discover the patient’s "why," establish SMART goals, and build effective interdisciplinary teams both internally and externally. By the end of this talk, you’ll leave equipped with actionable strategies to overcome barriers and deliver more impactful, patient-centered care through Lifestyle Medicine.
This session will empower practitioners in Korea and beyond to transform their clinical practice, improve patient outcomes, and make LM a sustainable and integral part of healthcare.