The Doha Declaration
The Global Alliance Lifestyle Medicine Leadership Forum, 2024
February 16, 2024
We envision:
We, the Lifestyle Medicine leaders of countries, global organizations, and educational institutions, in
pursuit of reversing the chronic disease epidemic, make the following declarations:
• We recognize that the global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) continues to
increase despite the best efforts of current health care approaches and systems. Clinical
outcomes are unsatisfactory, costs continue to rise, and patients are frustrated with the services
received. We find this inappropriate considering how far medical care has advanced. We call for
the urgent institution of Lifestyle Medicine.
Lifestyle Medicine (LM) is a clinical, medical, and health discipline providing evidencebased care to promote wellness, prevent disease, reverse chronic disease, and care for
individuals suffering from chronic conditions by employing LM therapeutic interventions
through modifying behaviors to enhance overall health and well-being [1]. It encompasses
six foundational pillars: a healthy, whole-food predominant plant-based eating pattern;
regular physical activity; stress management; restorative sleep; social connectedness;
and avoidance of risky substances [2]. LM is an interdisciplinary approach that places the
patient at the center, acknowledging the significance of social, economic, cultural, and
other factors that influence the patient
• We have assimilated the science and experienced the results of NCD prevention and reversal in
individual patients, groups and communities using LM therapeutic interventions. We know that,
when fully applied using the scientific evidence from multidisciplinary fields currently available,
a whole health LM approach can improve patient satisfaction, decrease health care costs, and
maximize health outcomes [3]. LM has the potential to offer cost-effective, efficient, sustainable,
and equitable health care to individuals worldwide, irrespective of their socioeconomic status. We
find this inspiring, energizing, and rational. It has become why we do what we do. It is the new,
transformational approach we urge all to adopt for our world.
