The Society of Lifestyle Medicine of Nigeria has advocated for empowerment of individuals with the knowledge and tools to combat stress and chronic diseases through evidence-based lifestyle interventions.

The President of SOLONg, Moyosore Makinde, made the call during an interview in commemoration of the 2024 Lifestyle Medicine Week on Saturday in Lagos.

According to her, as the world is gearing up for Global Lifestyle Medicine Week, celebrated from May 18 to 24, 2024, SOLONg marks it with the theme, “Beat STRESS with D.R.E.A.M.S.”

Lifestyle Medicine Week aims to promote healthy behaviours and raise awareness about the profound impact lifestyle choices have on chronic diseases.

Mrs Makinde explained that these chronic conditions, also known as non-communicable diseases, include heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, obesity, hyperchole-sterolemia and certain cancers.

She said: “This week-long event underscores the importance of the six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine in preventing, treating, and sometimes reversing these diseases.’’

Mrs Makinde, who described stress as a global challenge, said stress was inevitable and affects everyone, saying that 190 million people worldwide were reported by the World Health Organisation to have experienced significantly higher levels of stress in 2020.

According to her, there is a high prevalence of work-related stress among the employee workforce in Nigeria.

“Chronic stress is detrimental to health; it is a significant factor in the development and perpetuation of chronic diseases. Chronic stress impacts the body through hormonal changes, immune system dysregulation, metabolic disturbances and negative behavioural patterns, all of which contribute to the development and progression of the aforementioned chronic diseases.

“Encapsulated by the acronym S.T.R.E.S.S.; S: Social or Work related Stress, T: Time Stress, R: Relationship Stress, E: Environmental Stress, S: Self-Induced Stress and S: Situational Stress,” she said.

The General Secretary of SOLONg, Dr Mimi Osamwonyi, said that the D.R.E.A.M.S approach could mitigate stress, saying that effective stress management was essential in preventing and mitigating the impact of chronic conditions.

The doctor said to address stress and promote overall health, Global Lifestyle Medicine Week advocated the D.R.E.A.M.S. approach.

According to her, as encapsulated by the acronym D.R.E.A.M.S. entails D: Diet and Healthy Nutrition, R: Relationships, E: Exercise, A: Avoidance of Psychoactive or Toxic Substances, M: Mental Wellbeing and Effective Stress Management and S: Sleep.

“This week is marked in over 160 countries, calling for unified efforts by individuals, stakeholders and governments to confront chronic diseases as a critical public health issue. By embracing the principles of Lifestyle Medicine and addressing the multifaceted nature of stress, we can pave the way for a healthier future,” Ms Osamwonyi said.

(NAN)