The Australian Bureau of Statistics states that “People’s lifestyles can have a major impact on their health“¹.

The term ‘Lifestyle Disease’ refers to “a disease associated with the way a person or group of people lives”² and include diseases such as –

• atherosclerosis
• heart disease & stroke
• obesity
• NIDDM (Type 2 Diabetes)
• and diseases associated with poor diet, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and drug abuse.

In Australia, the term ‘lifestyle disease’ is synonymous with ‘chronic disease’³.

Personalised lifestyle medicine is the application of an individualised treatment approach that focuses on prevention and health promotion (see the Australian Lifestyle Medicine Association for more information).

¹ABS Publication – 1370.0 – Measures of Australia’s Progress, 2010; <http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/1370.0~2010~Chapter~Lifestyle%20behaviours%20(4.1.6.6) > 

²WebMD – http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=38316 

³ See – <http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/chronic#com>