Lifestyle Clinic

Lifestyle Clinic

Health Professionals

The Lifestyle Clinic has forged strong links with the Central & Eastern Sydney Primary Health Care Network (CESPHN), as well as the South-Eastern Sydney Local Health District and Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD).

The burden of lifestyle-related disease and disability in Australia is highlighted by the following facts:

  • Inactivity is the second highest lifestyle-related cause of chronic disease and illness in Australia – only behind smoking (1-2)
  • Less than 2.0% of GP consultations involve physical activity advice (3)
  • Graded exercise is highly effective in preventing and/or treating most of the major common chronic diseases of modern society (4-7)
  • almost 70% of the Australian adult population fail to meet the minimum recommendations for physical activity (8)

Seven out of ten general practice visits are related to chronic disease. Physical activity and lifestyle play a major role in both the cause and effect of many chronic conditions – most of which comprise the nation’s top 10 leading illnesses.

References

  1. Mathers C, Vos T, Stevenson C. The burden of disease and injury in Australia. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Canberra: AIHW, 1999.
  2. Colin D Mathers, E Theo Vos, Chris E Stevenson and Stephen J Begg. The Australian Burden of Disease Study. Medical Journal of Australia. 2000;172:592-596.
  3. Britt H, Miller GC, Charles J, Henderson J, Bayram C, Harrison C, Valenti L, Fahridin S, Pan Y & O’Halloran J (2008). General practice activity in Australia. 2007-08. General pratice series no. 22. Cat. No. GEP 22. Canberra: Australian. Institute of Health and Welfare.
  4. Kujala M. Evidence on the Effects of Exercise Therapy in the Treatment of Chronic Disease. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2009:43:550-555.
  5. Pedersen and Saltin. Exercise As Medicine - Evidence for Prescribing Exercise as a Therapy for Chronic Disease. Scandinavian Journal of Sports Medicine. 2015: 25(Suppl. 3): 1-72.
  6. Warburton D.E.R, Nicol C.W, Bredin S.S.D. Health benefits of Physical Activity: The Evidence. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2006:174(6): 801-809.
  7. Thompson PD,  Buchner D, Piña IL, Balady GJ, Williams MA, Marcus BH, Berra K, Blair SN, Costa F, Franklin B, Fletcher GF, Gordon NF, Pate RR, Rodriguez BL, Yancey, Wenger NK. Exercise and Physical Activity in the Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: A Statement From the Council on Clinical Cardiology. Circulation. 2003;107:3109-3116.
  8. Atlantis E, EH Barnes E.H and Ball K. Weight status and perception barriers to healthy physical activity and diet behaviour. International Journal of Obesity. 2007; 1–10.