Participants will have the option of a hybrid platform to ensure equal access. Participants will attend (virtually or in person) a weekly lecture on Lifestyle Medicine Pillars for 16 weeks followed by a weekly exercise program for 8 weeks. This program was inspired by the research team of Albert et al 2022.
The eligibility criteria for participation in the lifestyle medicine program include adults with chronic diseases such as
* prediabetes,
* type 2 diabetes,
* pre-hypertension,
* systemic hypertension,
* heart disease, dyslipidemia,
* and/or excess weight (BMI ≥ 25 (42)).
Patients will be invited through referral by their physicians, email by local heart disease and diabetes foundation, mail-out by nurse practitioner and community health teams. Metrics:
Participants will be evaluated using validated pre-and post intervention validated surveys provided by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, The Lifestyle Assessment Short Form. Added to the validated survey included questions on demographic characteristics including gender, age, race and ethnicity, language use, education, health insurance marital status. Participants will complete The Well-being Assessment and Lifestyle Medicine Survey (American College of Lifestyle Medicine)
