You might never have heard of a lifestyle management degree, but the people who earn this degree may soon impact your life. Lifestyle management is largely a preventative healthcare profession, and practitioners work in many areas, including primary care. The concept of staying healthy and promoting overall health isn’t new, but the degree and the profession are.
Lifestyle medicine’s six pillars include a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances and behaviors, and positive social interactions. Promoting these important aspects of health through lifestyle management can improve individual health and even add years to a person’s life. Public health can be impacted positively through this profession, and getting a lifestyle management degree can help you make an impact.
What Is Lifestyle Management?
Lifestyle management is a science that “works to integrate lifestyle-based healthy habits“ into the course of a person’s daily routine. It deals with healthy choices in food, in exercise, and in monitoring health conditions through regular medical testing to promote health benefits. This health and wellness degree works to promote physical activity, blood pressure control, daily exercise, improved diet, and more.
Why has the profession emerged?
The justification for this profession is that life has become so complicated and rushed that people find little time to take care of themselves. That may sound like a personal choice, but “unanticipated absence” costs some larger U.S. businesses more than $750,000 annually. It is more cost-effective to provide health and wellness opportunities for employees on site in the business place. According to Corporate Wellness Magazine, an estimated 70 percent of companies of all sizes offer incentives for their employees to participate in company exercise programs, get immunizations and other wellness checks at work, and even to access stress counseling. Poor health costs society in many other ways as well. Promoting health through this profession not only improves health, but saves money as well.
What is the Lifestyle Degree Program like?
The requirements for this degree depend upon whether you have already earned a baccalaureate or an advanced degree. It also depends upon whether the school where you earn your degree combines it with another discipline. You might find the degree listed as exercise science and lifestyle management or as nutrition and lifestyle, for instance. Courses in the program include anthropology, because culture and society affect health. Courses also include psychology, nutrition, and classes on how exercise impacts whole-person health. Students must also take biology and communication courses. Other classes may include things like: Program Planning in Health Promotion, Promoting Human Wellness Across the Lifespan, Integrating Wellness in the School Setting, Obesity and Diabetes Management, Wellness in the Workplace, and more. Master’s and doctoral programs may include coursework in research methodology and statistics. Depending on the program, work experience, internships, and capstone projects may be part of the curriculum, giving students professional networking experience and meaningful knowledge.
What traits does someone in this profession have?
People in this interesting profession are dedicated to promoting leisure and lifestyle experiences that promote health. These professionals use their knowledge to promote health through lifestyle changes and lifestyle promotion. People in this profession should be well organized and proactive, enthusiastic in their work, and confident in their abilities and approach. Lifestyle management workers have strong communication skills and are flexible with an ability to work independently or collaboratively. An ability to provide good customer service is also important.
Where do people with degrees in lifestyle management work?
Professionals in this discipline work in hospitals or healthcare facilities to assist patients in managing their wellness after they are discharged. They also work in government programs that promote education, and they can be found in businesses coordinating company wellness programs. They also may work independently as lifestyle coaches. Larger companies promote health as a cost saving measure, knowing that when their employees are in good health they are more productive in their jobs.
What kind of a job title can someone with this major have?
While there are many different types of jobs that someone with this major may have, job titles can include: Community Health Education coordinator, Community Health Program coordinator, Community Health Outreach worker, Community Health program representative, Education Coordinator, or Wellness Coordinator.
What is the employment outlook for this occupation, and what can these professionals earn?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts this profession will grow at about fifteen-to-twenty percent, which is above average. If you work as a health and wellness coach, you can expect to earn an average salary of $50,430. Wellness counselors who manage business or community wellness programs earn a median $70,020. Health education is expected to grow by 37 percent. People in this area often have advanced degrees, and the median salary at that level is $99,000.
Although healthcare professionals have known for years that prevention is a major focus of medical treatment, lifestyle management is a relatively new occupation. People with a degree in this discipline will impact the health of individuals and communities in a holistic manner, helping them integrate stress management, pharmaceutical interventions, exercise and diet. A lifestyle management degree can prepare you for a useful and well-paid profession that can play an important part in community health.
What are professional organizations for lifestyle management and related professions?
The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is the top professional organization for physicians in this field. It is the medical professional society for physicians and other professionals in clinical and worksite practice of lifestyle medicine as foundation for a sustainable health care system.
There are many other lifestyle management related professional organizations, all of which promote the profession and provide continuing education and networking opportunities. Check out some of these organizations:
American Public Health Association
American Academy of Health Behavior