JILL JOHNSON
Q: What is lifestyle medicine, and how is it different from traditional care?
A: Lifestyle medicine focuses on preventing, treating and even reversing chronic diseases through sustainable, evidence-based changes. These include a whole-food, plant-predominant diet, regular exercise, quality sleep, stress management, avoiding risky substances, and maintaining strong social connections. Unlike traditional care that may rely on medication to manage symptoms, lifestyle medicine empowers patients to take control of their health.
Q: What results have you seen when patients make lifestyle changes to manage or prevent chronic conditions?
A: I’ve seen patients lower blood pressure and cholesterol, lose weight, reduce or eliminate medications, and even reverse Type 2 diabetes. Programs like the Ornish and Diabetes Prevention programs show up to 80% of chronic disease can be prevented or reversed. Patients also report better mood, sleep, energy, and overall quality of life.
Q: Which lifestyle habits make the biggest difference in preventing long-term health problems?
A: Regular physical activity, a plant-predominant diet, and good sleep are foundational. Stress management and strong social connections also play a key role.
Q: What challenges exist in using lifestyle medicine?
A: Most health care providers receive little training in nutrition, behavior change, or lifestyle counseling. Fewer than 25% of U.S. medical schools require a dedicated nutrition course. The current system prioritizes short visits and prescriptions over preventive care. Systemwide changes, like broader insurance coverage and team-based care, are also needed.
At UNT Health Fort Worth, we’re addressing this through our Master of Science in Lifestyle Health Sciences program, which trains future providers in behavior change strategies.
Q: How do you track whether lifestyle changes are working for your patients?
A: Clinicians track biomarkers like A1C, blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight. Coaches look at lifestyle improvements—diet, sleep, activity, and reduced risky behaviors—as well as how patients feel.
Q: How does income, where someone lives, or access to healthy food impact their ability to benefit from lifestyle medicine?
A: Barriers like food insecurity and unsafe neighborhoods can make healthy choices harder. That’s why we support programs like food prescriptions, mobile cooking classes, and health equity initiatives to expand access.
Q: If you could change one thing about our health care system to better support healthy lifestyles, what would it be?
A: I’d shift the system to reward prevention. Compensating providers for nutrition counseling, fitness planning, and education would lead to healthier populations and lower long-term costs.
UNT Health Fort Worth
Misti Zablosky, PhD, LAT, DipACLM, CHWC
Department of Personalized Health and Well-Being
College of Health Professions
3500 Camp Bowie Blvd.
Fort Worth 76107
817. 735.2756
unthealth.edu/chp
