Living Well with Lifestyle Medicine: A group consultation approach to delivering Lifestyle Medicine Intervention in Primary Care

Introduction

Increasing prevalence of chronic disease is raising demands on the healthcare system, and evidence-based cost-effective ways to address these are needed. This project piloted a novel approach of delivering lifestyle medicine in general practice by providing a holistic lifestyle medicine programme to patients at high risk of chronic diseases.

Methods

Eleven patients at high risk of chronic disease participated in a 6-week programme of General Practitioner (GP)-led group consultations, which delivered evidence-based lifestyle education and interventions across all the pillars of lifestyle medicine. Anthropometric data (including weight and body mass index (BMI)) and quality-of-life data (using the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D-5L) tool) and patient's confidence and motivation were assessed at the beginning and end of the programme to assess impact. Cost-effectiveness was estimated by calculating the cost-per-quality-adjusted-life-year (QALY) for the EQ-5D-5L data.

Results

Seventy-three per cent of participants lost weight, with an average weight loss of 1.7 kg confidence interval (CI), –3.46 to –0.02 kg; P = 0.048), which resulted in an average BMI reduction of 0.56 (CI, –1.11 to –0.02; P = 0.043) over 6 weeks. Quality of Life scores show improvement, with EuroQol-visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) score increase of 23 points (CI, +11.82 to +34.18; P = 0.002) and EQ-5D-5L scores show reduction in mobility problems, anxiety and depression and pain. Patient's self-rated confidence and motivation to make healthy lifestyle changes improved significantly over the programme.

Conclusions

Delivery of lifestyle medicine intervention via a GP-led group consultation model results in improvement in patients’ perceived health and well-being, along with reductions in weight, and reduced problems with mood and pain. Delivery of care in this way is cost-effective. The positive findings from this pilot-scale study support investment in a larger study to further develop and explore delivery of lifestyle medicine intervention in this way.