Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are increasingly burdening Pakistan’s healthcare system. These chronic conditions include heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and various cancers. Alarmingly, the World Health Organization reports that 74% of deaths worldwide stem from NCDs, with low and middle-income countries, like Pakistan, facing the steepest challenges.
In Pakistan, about one in four adults over 20 has Type II diabetes. That’s around 33 million people, making us one of the countries with the highest numbers of diabetes cases. Among adults over 45, one in three struggles with high blood pressure. Breast cancer is also on the rise, affecting one in nine women, and leading to significant health impacts for young women in particular.
Recent data highlights that ischemic heart disease has surged more than 25% in the past three decades. Similarly, diabetes climbed from the 26th rank of disease burden in 1990 to eighth in 2019. Breast cancer jumped from 38th to 18th during the same period. These shifts reflect a growing epidemic that preventative measures urgently need to address.
According to the WHO, the main risk factors for these diseases include tobacco use, poor diet, lack of physical activity, alcohol abuse, and air pollution. Making healthier lifestyle choices is key to tackling these issues.
Lifestyle medicine focuses on holistic self-care and includes six important pillars: nutrition, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoiding harmful substances, and nurturing social connections. By promoting these behaviors, we can reduce the likelihood of developing NCDs.
While lifestyle medicine isn’t new, its approach is innovative. It combines established ideas into a framework aimed at prevention and treatment. Evidence supports that sustained behavioral changes can lead to significant health improvements. Research shows that adopting these habits can dramatically reduce the risk of serious diseases, even for those who are currently healthy.
Lifestyle medicine aims to align with our body’s natural rhythms and restore balance without solely relying on medications. Since its inception in the West, it has gained momentum as a treatment method, offering life-changing benefits to those living with chronic conditions.
The American College of Lifestyle Medicine, founded in 2004, has pioneered ongoing education and certification programs in this field. Over 8,000 professionals across 92 countries are now certified lifestyle medicine practitioners, including 41 in Pakistan. The Pakistan Association of Lifestyle Medicine (PALM), established by Dr. Shagufta Feroz in 2016, is the country’s representative in this global movement and is actively working to integrate lifestyle medicine into healthcare education.
Dr. Feroz began her journey in family medicine and grew frustrated with the traditional focus on medications. She pursued two PhDs in nutrition and integrated medicine and found her passion in lifestyle medicine. Today, she leads courses to educate others on this transformative approach.
Despite progress, lifestyle medicine is not yet mainstream in Pakistan’s healthcare system. Integrating this education at the undergraduate level and developing postgraduate programs for healthcare providers are essential next steps. PALM is already working toward these goals.
The time is ripe for lifestyle medicine in Pakistan. By embracing this approach, we can make a significant impact on public health and combat the rising tide of NCDs.
For more on NCD trends and lifestyle interventions, visit the WHO.
