Lifestyle medicine: the Australian experience

Changes in disease patterns from predominantly infectious to predominantly chronic diseases in Australia, in line with economic development throughout the developed world, have led to the need for changes in conventional health practice. This has resulted in a movement toward an evidence-based discipline of lifestyle medicine incorporating aspects of both public health and clinical medicine, aimed at moderating lifestyle and environmentally based etiologies. A professional association, postgraduate and continuing professional development training, working text, interactive Web site, and annual conference, as described here, are designed to complement conventional medical knowledge and practices. Changes to the Australian health system, which operates on a dual public/private model have made this approach more feasible and continue to be adapted to allow a more comprehensive approach to lifestyle-related health problems.