James M. Rippe, editor-in-chief of Lifestyle Medicine. [Photo provided to Chinadaily.com.cn]
Lifestyle medicine can play a greater role in China's efforts to build a more prevention-oriented healthcare system, as the country advances the Healthy China initiative while coping with population aging and a rising burden of chronic diseases, a senior expert said.
The approach, rooted in evidence-based research, addresses the daily habits that shape short- and long-term health and quality of life, from diet and exercise to sleep, stress management, social connection and avoiding addictive substances.
James M. Rippe, editor-in-chief of Lifestyle Medicine, told China Daily in an exclusive interview that prevention could become a stronger pillar of modern healthcare, as daily habits often have a deeper and longer-lasting impact on health outcomes than treatment after disease has already developed.
"The things people do in their daily lives can make a bigger difference to their health than almost anything medicine can do after disease has developed," he said, citing World Health Organization data showing that noncommunicable diseases account for 74 percent of deaths worldwide each year.
