The Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine Limited (ASLM) is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to the advancement of lifestyle medicine in Australia and New Zealand. It operates as a multidisciplinary professional society aimed at promoting lifestyle interventions as a primary approach to the prevention and management of chronic diseases.

History and Background

The organisation was originally incorporated in 2008 under the name Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Association (ALMA). It later rebranded as the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine to more explicitly include New Zealand in its scope and membership. Since its inception, ASLM has played a key role in establishing lifestyle medicine as an evidence-based clinical discipline in the region. It published a foundational textbook in 2008, with subsequent editions expanding its international reach and translation into multiple languages[5].

Mission and Activities

ASLM focuses on education, training, and advocacy to integrate lifestyle medicine principles into routine clinical practice. Its mission is to provide training and professional development opportunities for primary healthcare workers and other health professionals, enabling them to use lifestyle modification effectively as a therapeutic tool. This includes education on shared medical appointments and culturally appropriate interventions such as Medical Yarn-Ups[3][4].

The society hosts a range of in-person and online courses and workshops across Australia and New Zealand, designed to equip health professionals with practical skills in lifestyle medicine[2].

Membership and Structure

ASLM is an interdisciplinary organisation comprising medical doctors, nurses, allied health practitioners (including dietitians, nutritionists, psychologists, exercise physiologists, and diabetes educators), as well as public health professionals, researchers, scientists, and educators. The membership is approximately 45-50% physicians and about 30% allied health workers, with other health-related disciplines holding associate status. This multidisciplinary approach is considered fundamental to the society’s growth and impact[1][5].

Graduates in their first year of practice are eligible for discounted membership, emphasizing support for emerging health professionals interested in lifestyle medicine[1].

Education and Research

ASLM has been instrumental in the introduction of postgraduate lifestyle medicine education in the region, with master's degree programs launched in 2008 and 2010 at regional universities. More recently, the society has developed online, practitioner-focused education modules funded by philanthropic sources to create therapeutic guidelines and clinical tools that facilitate the application of lifestyle medicine in everyday healthcare[5].

Influence and Recognition

By 2018, ASLM had established itself as a significant stakeholder in national health policy discussions, including memberships in the Australian Obesity Policy Coalition and the Health Coalition Aotearoa in New Zealand. Its annual conference has grown substantially, from 120 delegates at its first meeting in 2009 to over 550 by 2018, recognized as a world-class medical and scientific event[5].

The Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine continues to promote lifestyle medicine as a foundational component of healthcare, championing a holistic, evidence-based approach to chronic disease management across Australia and New Zealand.

[1] https://www.lifestylemedicine.org.au/membership/ [2] https://www.lifestylemedicine.org.au/courses-and-workshops/ [3] https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/948349b5-6691-e911-a984-000d3ad02a61/profile [4] https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/948349b5-6691-e911-a984-000d3ad02a61/documents/b23b00b8-b16e-ed11-81ab-00224892bbf7 [5] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7092407/