The Board's decision was triggered in part by the growing awareness of and interest in this field among primary care practitioners, health care purchasers, policy makers, and the general public. The Board recognized lifestyle medicine is a core competency of preventive medicine and the College can play an important role in ensuring lifestyle medicine programs are based on proven and effective methods of preventing and controlling disease.

Lifestyle Medicine Competency Development Initiative

On July 27 and 28, 2009, ACPM convened a blue ribbon panel of physician experts and representatives from leading primary care and other medical associations to develop competencies for practicing physicians in lifestyle medicine. Dr. Lianov and ACPM President Mark Johnson, MD, MPH, FACPM represented ACPM at this forum. ACPM Past President George Anderson, MD, MPH, FACPM moderated the meeting. Advance preparation included developing a literature review that summarized the body of evidence supporting lifestyle interventions.

The group reached consensus on a draft set of domains and competencies that define a minimum base of knowledge, skills, and attitudes physicians should possess to effect evidence-based lifestyle approaches to disease management and prevention. These competencies have been published in the July 14 edition of JAMA as part of commentary authored by Drs. Lianov and Johnson (see press release).

The blue ribbon panel included representatives from the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians,American Medical Association, American Osteopathic Association, American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and American College of Sports Medicine. The effort was made possible by grants from Lifestyle Center of America and P&G.

Advocacy

Members of the blue ribbon panel sent an advocacy letter to each member of Congress during last year’s health reform debate. The purpose of the letter was to educate each legislator about the importance of healthy lifestyle behaviors in any effort to reform health care. The letter resulted from ideas and desires that panel members expressed at the July 2009 meeting. ACPM delivered the letter to Congress on September 8, the day legislators returned from August recess. Both ACPM and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine endorsed the letter as organizations.