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Latest Press Release: September 2020

Big News for Lifestyle Medicine

• ACLM has been approved for Specialty and Service Society designation from the American Medical Association, which means in three years we will be eligible for entry into the House of Delegates. The Specialty and Service Society is made up of more than 130 national medical societies, military service groups and professional interest medical associations.
• Speaking of the AMA, it has commented on the Scientific Report of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) with recommendations on how food and nutrition play a crucial role in health promotion and chronic disease prevention.
• A new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends incorporating a rapid diet-screening tool into routine primary care visits.
• Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and celebrity chefs say the U.S. food system “is killing us” in a recent op-ed.

COVID-19 Effects

• The Rockefeller Foundation reports that America faces a hunger and nutrition crisis unlike any this country has seen in generations, a situation exacerbated by the pandemic, and calls for fundamental change in the system.
• A PricewaterhouseCoopers Health Research Institute survey shows how the COVID-19 pandemic is changing the economy, the way we work and the health system.
• A New Yorker article discusses the pandemic’s serious impact on primary care.
• Kaiser Health News reports on how obesity may make a Covid-19 vaccine ineffective.
• An AARP article looks at vitamin deficiency and its consequences in COVID-19

• This interactive map, developed by professors at Georgia Tech, explores the odds that coronavirus will be present at an event anywhere in the U.S., depending on the event’s size and the county in which it’s located. The map calculates the likelihood of whether each gathering would include someone who is currently infectious.
• Case reports of hospitalized patients suggest that COVID-19 prominently affects the cardiovascular system, but the overall impact remains unknown according to this JAMA article.
• Sports fans may find this article on the pandemic’s effect on sports by the former CEO of The Permanente Medical Group of interest.

Health Disparities

• Covid-19 rates are significantly higher among minority children and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, according to a new study.
• A recent literature review in the journal International Social Work provides a good overview of health disparities.

Telehealth

• Medical Economics provides a summary of telehealth best practices from those who have been the most successful.
• Former ACLM President Wayne Dysinger’s remote patient monitoring work employing CRT member Carium’s technology was recently featured in this article.
• The President issued an executive order to improve rural health and telehealth access.
• Unknown risks associated with telemedicine will emerge as virtual visits become a bigger part of medical care, says physician-owned medical malpractice insurer The Doctors Company, in a new white paper.

Avoidance of Risky Substances

• The 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee recommends that men limit alcoholic drinks to one per day.

Nutrition

• Poor nutrition in the U.S. poses threats to health, national security, and the economy, says a Federal Nutrition Research Advisory Group panel.

Behavior Change

• Kaizen, the concept that small, ongoing positive changes can reap significant improvements, is put into the context of lifestyle improvement.

Lifestyle and Rheumatology

• Lifestyle Medicine in patients with rheumatologic diseases was discussed at the recent 2020 Association of Women in Rheumatology National Conference

Research in the News

• A Stanford Medicine comparison study of plant vs. animal intake shows that among generally healthy adults, plant products improved several cardiovascular disease risk factors, including TMAO, with no adverse effects.
• The INTERMAP study shows plant-based diets rich in vegetables and whole grains and limited in refined grains, sugar-sweetened beverages, and total meat may contribute to controlling high blood pressure.