Lifestyle Medicine: A UPMC Conversation was a day-long symposium that convened national lifestyle medicine and UPMC/University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) leaders from many disciplines to explore the growing science, research, clinical practice, business models and community linkages incorporating the foundational impact of healthy lifestyles in the prevention, treatment and reversal of disease.

The conversation’s goals were to provide a forum to begin the dialogue and define actions necessary to:

  1. Explore emerging science and practice of lifestyle medicine from national perspectives and leading care systems
  2. Catalyze UPMC’s and Pitt’s emergence as national leaders to prevent, treat and reverse lifestyle-related disease and costs through new clinical and business models
  3. Create synergy with growing Pitt-UPMC interest in an institution-wide “Lifestyle Institute”
  4. Address full range of basic science (genetic/epigenetic/proteomics), medical care treatment, and environmental/public health strategies to improve health and reduce excessive costs

The event closed with a final plenary session which featured break-out session discussion and recommendations for future directions.

Watch the presentation here.

Lifestyle Medicine presentations:
David L. Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP, FACLM
President, American College of Lifestyle Medicine; Director, Yale Center for Prevention Research
Engaging and entertaining review of science behind lifestyle medicine. What is the evidence that 80% of how long and how well we live is caused by our behaviors and environment namely “what we eat, how we move and what we ‘think’”?

Craig McDougall, MD
Practice Lead, ZOOM+Prime
A review of emerging clinical practice and business models incorporating lifestyle medicine to address the root cause of chronic disease emphasizing “food as medicine”.

Dexter Shurney, MD, MBA, MPH
Chief Medical Director, Global Benefits, Health and Wellness, Cummins, Inc.
A view from Cummins, a large multinational manufacturing employer’s view and bold actions to create healthy behaviors as the foundation of disease treatment and prevention with knowledge, skills, support through the LiveWell Center.

Joon Sup Lee, MD
Division Chief of Cardiology; Co-Director, UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute
A review of cardiovascular disease prevalence, progress and challenges in the face of growing lifestyle and obesity challenges.

Michael Parkinson, MD, MPH, FACPM
Sr. Medical Director, Health and Productivity, UPMC Health Plan & WorkPartners
A review of progress and promise of lifestyle and environmental initiatives in practice and research at UPMC and Pitt and potential directions to pursue to make us national leaders in lifestyle medicine and healthy behaviors.