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Review
. 2025 Jul 31:15598276251362806.
doi: 10.1177/15598276251362806. Online ahead of print.

Lifestyle Medicine Education in Health Professionals Curricula: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sarah Ibrahim  1   2   3   4 , Jasper R Senff  5   6   7   8   9 , Janani Sivakumar  10 , Matthew Ventresca  10 , Judith Coulson  11 , Sanjula Singh  5   6   7   8 , Aleksandra Pikula  10   12   13   14
Affiliations
Review

Lifestyle Medicine Education in Health Professionals Curricula: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sarah Ibrahim et al. Am J Lifestyle Med. .

Abstract

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Underlying NCDs are modifiable risk factors, which may be targeted through Lifestyle Medicine (LM). LM is an evidence-based and clinical discipline that supports healthy lifestyle habits. Much of LM integration in practice is rooted in the education afforded within health professional's curricula. The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of LM educational interventions within health professional's curricula on knowledge, competence, self-efficacy/confidence and skills. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted with data analyzed using descriptive statistics and a Random Effect Meta-analysis. A total of 14 studies were included. Interventions centered around substance use, nutrition and physical activity with no studies obtained on the sleep health, stress management and social connectedness pillars. Interventions showed a positive impact on improving knowledge standardized mean difference (SMD): 0.71 (95% CI: 0.25-1.18), self-esteem/self-confidence SMD: 1.34 (95% CI: 0.61-2.07), and outcome practice SMD: 0.78 (95% CI 0.29-1.26). There was insufficient power to provide reliable estimates for the attitude outcome. Integrating LM educational interventions within health professional's curricula is promising and recommended to better equip trainees and future health care providers to support patients with the adoption of a healthy lifestyle.

Keywords: curricula; educational interventions; health professionals; lifestyle medicine; systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
LSM pillar.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
PRISMA flow diagram.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Meta-analysis.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Study implications.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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