ISLAMABAD: Lifestyle medicine (LSM), an emerging approach to achieving a healthier and happier life, is gaining increasing attention as the National Task Force on Lifestyle Medicine met to ensure six pillars of LSM aimed to prevent, manage and reverse non-communicable diseases.
The meeting, chaired by Director General Health Dr Abdul Wali Khan, was attended by public and private sector experts, including Dr Zafar Mirza, Prof Dr Tanwir Khaliq, Prof Dr Ziaul Haq, Prof Dr Syed Fawad Mashhadi, Prof Dr Yawar Hayat Khan and Dr Mohammad Qaisar Khan.
The task force reviewed proposals for the incorporation of lifestyle medicine into undergraduate medical education curricula in collaboration with Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and at the postgraduate levels through the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan and the Higher Education Commission. Furthermore, the participants deliberated upon engagement of all the relevant stakeholders, including the food industry, food regulatory authorities and Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority.
The task force underscored the need to raise public awareness of lifestyle modification through robust media campaigns. It emphasised the importance of orienting all healthcare providers to lifestyle medicine through a short, potentially mandatory, self-learning online course.
What is LSM
Dr Abdul Jabbar Bhutto, health expert at Polyclinic, while talking toDawnsaid: “LSM is an evidence based approach that integrates lifestyle interventions such as diet, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky behaviour like alcohol and drug addiction, meaningful social connection, gratitude and purpose in life to prevent and treat chronic diseases.”
He said it was a shift from reactive disease oriented approach to a proactive prevent model.
“Harvard University School of Public Health claims that LSM approach can 82pc lower the risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases, 65pc lower risk of dying from all types of cancer, 74pc reduction in risk of all types of causes of mortality. Furthermore, LSM also reduces the pattern and frequency of NCD like 78pc reduction in developing any chronic diseases, 93pc reduction in risk of getting diabetes, 81pc reduction in risk of heart attack, 50pc lower risk of stroke and 36pc reduction in all cancers,” he said.
Dr Bhutto, who has been working on LSM, said while at least six pillars have to be ensured, there can be eight pillars of LSM in a nutshell.
“They include healthy balanced diets as it is said that ‘eat to live not live to eat’ and ‘let food be your medicine’. So a balanced and healthy diet should be adopted including a variety of different foods from each food group. A simple ratio of diet should be 50pc vegetables and fruits, 25pc whole grain and 25pc protein along with a sufficient amount of clean water,” he explained.
He said physical activity was one of the most important pillars. “In ancient era, people used to travel on foot in search of food and water, however, now movement and physical exertion is limited due to comfortable resources. On the other hand, calories rich food, without consumption, is badly affecting our health and becoming reason of diabetes, obesity and overweight, cancer and cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases,” he added.
“Restorative sleep is also very important pillar of LSM as nowadays we don’t do digital sunset till late night and in results melatonin hormones not release properly that are essential for good sleep, melatonin hormone releases in darkness but if we don’t go off screen or don’t dim light of house till late night, definitely sleep will be disturbed and in result our digestive system and energy level for next day will be affected,” he said.
While discussing meaningful social connections, he said humans were like a social animal so they should be social rather than being alone or isolated.
“Disconnected minds are at more risk to develop depression, anxiety and mental health issues. More social activities decrease your unhealthy weight and keep you physically active as research has proven,” he added.
Dr Bhutto said stress management was another remedy. “A sensible person shall be more responsible for his own health, family and for the community as being a productive person.”
He said gratitude always keep the body, soul and mind in peace and happiness.
“One should recall difficult days and see how he has been living an improved life,” he said.
He said the purpose and goals of life should be high. “Your dreams keep you high and hopes keep you energetic,” he said.
Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2026