“Cultivating the Future: The Intersection of Education and Lifestyle Medicine”

Abstract

Lifestyle medicine (LM) is transforming health care by addressing the root causes of chronic diseases through evidence-based practices in nutrition, physical activity, stress management, sleep, social connection, and substance use risk reduction. The keynote panel discussion, “Cultivating the Future: The Intersection of Education and Lifestyle Medicine,” held at the 2024 American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) conference, LM2024, highlighted the critical need and opportunities for integration of LM across the education spectrum. Panelists, including leaders from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and prominent ACLM LM education leaders, shared milestones, strategies, and a vision for advancing LM education to cultivate the next generation of health professionals equipped to address the nation’s chronic disease epidemic. This article summarizes the session, emphasizing actionable insights, key challenges, and opportunities to foster LM integration in medical and health professional education and training.