The role of lifestyle medicine in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases: Opportunities and challenges within the Hungarian healthcare system

Abstract

Introduction: The importance of healthy lifestyle in shaping health status goes back decades. Six pillars of lifestyle medicine are usually identified: physical activity, nutrition, sleep, avoidance of harmful addictions, stress management and social relationships. In Hungary, as in other countries of the world, lifestyle medicine is finding its place in the everyday practice of medicine, currently. The aims of our study are to present the historical background, the concept, the international and national organisation of lifestyle medicine, to explore the possibilities of integrating lifestyle medicine into the health care system in Hungary and, more broadly, into society.

Methods: A narrative literature review was conducted to review the 'grey' literature and the literature in line with the aims.

Results: Lifestyle medicine has its roots in ancient medicine, but began to become a separate discipline in the 1990s. In line with American and European lifestyle medicine trends, there are several lifestyle medicine societies, also in Hungary. Lifestyle medicine breaks with the usual health-care pattern, in which the patient is more of a client, an active participant in disease prevention or cure. Lifestyle counselling and lifestyle intervention, as a treatment option, are included in many health professional guidelines, but it would also be timely to summarise and educate the knowledge and actual practical skills that are essential for implementation. Although many countries have a highly effective network and institutional structure for lifestyle interventions and concepts, in our country, this is currently incomplete and random in practice. In Hungary, the human resources system of lifestyle medicine is still in the process of being formed, with specialisation at the training level only in preventive medicine and public health. It is recommended that a medical doctor should be the leader of lifestyle interventions, alongside a physiotherapist, a dietician, possibly a psychologist or mental health professional, and a number of other health and non-health professionals who play a supporting role in the implementation of the pillars of lifestyle medicine. Financing of lifestyle interventions are complex and partly outside the traditional healthcare financing methods. In addition to central financing, alternative forms of funding are also used in our country, particularly for physical activity programmes.

Conclusions: Lifestyle factors are one of the most important determinants of health for the global population today, including our own society. Lifestyle medicine should therefore be a priority medical and health specialty, and its integration into conventional medical care will be key to reducing the burden of chronic diseases and improving people's health.