Lifestyle medicine experts proffer solutions to combat chronic diseases

Some lifestyle medicine practitioners have called for a shift of focus from disease management to preventive care and vibrant living in order to reduce the number of people suffering from chronic diseases.
The experts proffered the solutions during the Opening Ceremony of the 6th Annual International Scientific Conference of the Society of Lifestyle Medicine of Nigeria (SOLONg) on Friday in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference, which will hold from Nov. 28 to Nov. 30, was with the theme, “Transforming Healthcare Systems in Africa: Sustainable Lifestyle Medicine Strategies”.
The President of SOLONg, Dr Moyosore Makinde, said that the theme was apt in addressing Africa’s healthcare landscape.
Makinde, a Consultant Family Physician, said that the continent’s health sector was overwhelmed by chronic diseases including hypertension, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and depressive disorders.
She said that unhealthy behaviours, which included poor nutrition, fiscal inactivity, sleep deprivation, substance abuse, unabated stress and toxic relationships, were causes of these conditions.
“The solution lies in lifestyle medicine.
“It is a transformative approach, which is poised to prevent, to treat, as well as reverse the chronic conditions that we see.
“Lifestyle medicine represents the future of healthcare, empowering individuals to reclaim their health and their well-being,” she said.
She urged institutions, particularly governments, institutional leaders, health maintenance organisations, among others, to integrate lifestyle medicine into school curriculum, and structured lifestyle intervention programmes.(NAN)