Nudging as a Support for Behavioral Change in Lifestyle Medicine

The practice of lifestyle medicine and its emphasis on behavioral change continues to grow around the world. Yet much of the burden of disease weighing on healthcare systems from chronic, modifiable conditions remains stubbornly present. From a behavior change perspective, efforts to date have primarily focused on public health messaging and public health campaigns (global approaches) to interventions such as health coaching (individual approaches). There exists an opportunity to consider contextual elements which support behavioral change. The practice of “nudging” behavior in primary care and allied health settings is proposed as a means of responding to these contextual opportunities. Nudging does not assure change; however, it can invite curiosity about change and small behavioral efforts in the direction of a desired change. Furthermore, its nature conserves autonomy and patient choice while inviting a health-creating behavior. As such, when considered and applied in the context of public health and individual treatment options, it creates a consistent milieu in which behavior change is facilitated

South Fukien Mission (1920-1951)

The South Fukien (today’s Fujian) Mission 闽南区会 was located where the original Fukien (Fujian) Mission began in 1917. When the division of the Fukien Mission took place in 1920, the southern portion was named the Amoy (later Xiamen) Mission, 廈門区会 even though the headquarters were not in Amoy city. In 1922 the entity was renamed the South Fukien Mission, a subdivision of the South China Union Mission. Its headquarters were on the small island of Kulangsu (Gulangyu) 鼓浪屿 where many Europeans had settled, including the Seventh-day Adventist missionaries when they first entered the area

White, Seabert Griffin (1885-1973) and Genevieve (Paisley) (died 1940)

Seabert White served as a missionary in China for seven years and then returned to his home country, Canada, to minister in the provinces of British Columbia, Ontario, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan

Miao Mission (1937-1939)

The Miao (Miáo Zú苗族) people are counted among the earliest tribes in China. They are different to the Han Chinese and are usually divided into four sub-groups: The Red Miao of western Hunan Province; the Black Miao of south-east Guizhou Province; the White Miao of south Sichuan, west Guizhou and south Yunnan Provinces; and the Big Flowery Miao of north-east Yunnan and north-west Guizhou Provinces. They practiced ancestor veneration, cultivated maize, sorghum, potatoes, beans, peanuts, sugar cane, and cotton on the plateaus in the mountainous regions. They wore colorfully embroidered costumes and enjoyed singing and dancing. To many people from the West, they are also known as Hmong. In reality, they are a subgroup of the Miao people who live in Southwest China and Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Loas, and Thailand). After the Vietnam war, a large number emigrated to the United States

Rittenhouse, Floyd Oliver (1905-1993)

Floyd Rittenhouse was a notable educator who served at various church academies and as president of Andrews University and Pacific Union College

Sandstrom, Donald John (1928-1999)

Donald J. Sandstrom was a pastor in Massachusetts, a missionary in South America and East Africa, and president of three conferences in the United States

Hopei Mission (1918-1951)

Seventh-day Adventist mission work began in the Hebei 河北 (or Hopei) Province in 1915. In 1918 it was constituted as the Peking Mission 北京区会, later renamed the Chihli Mission 直隶区会. The province was formerly named the Chihli Province but when the name was changed to Hopei Province the mission entity underwent a further change, becoming known as the Hopei Mission 河北区会 (now Hebei Mission). It always remained a part of the North China Union Conference with its headquarters in Peking (now Beijing)

Fattebert, Ulysses Charles (1871-1947) and Ellen I. Burrill (1875–1963)

Carlos and Ellen Burrill Fattebert did pioneering educational and medical missionary work in Mexico and the Philippine Islands

Haughey, Stephen Gerard (1869-1958)

Stephen G. Haughey was an evangelist and church administrator in the United States and in the British Isles, where he devoted two decades to fostering early development of the Adventist work

Efficacy of a Multimodal Lifestyle Intervention (The Lift Project) for Improving the Mental Health of Individuals with an Affective Mood Disorder Living in South Africa

Background: Affective disorders are becoming more pervasive worldwide, including in Southern Africa, where treating patients with these conditions is challenging due to social and financial constraints. A variety of non-pharmacological approaches including lifestyle medicine (e.g., exercise, nutrition, sleep) and positive psychology practices (e.g., gratitude, service), are effective for treating mental health (MH) conditions. Methods: Twenty-six individuals from South Africa with a diagnosed MH condition participated in a 10-week multimodal intervention incorporating a diverse range of non-pharmacological strategies for improving MH. MH metrics were assessed pre-and post-intervention, including general MH, vitality/energy (VIT), depression, anxiety, stress, and satisfaction with life. MH and VIT were also measured weekly. Results: Improvements were observed in all mental metrics from pre-to post-intervention: MH (59%, p \u3c 0.001, Cohen’s D = 1.36), VIT (110%, p \u3c 0.001, Cohen’s D = 1.71), depression (−46%, p \u3c 0.001, Cohen’s D = −1.06), anxiety (−48%, p \u3c 0.001, Cohen’s D = −1.21), stress (−36%, p \u3c 0.001, Cohen’s D = −1.08) and life satisfaction (23%, p \u3c 0.001, Cohen’s D = 0.66). Significant improvements in MH and VIT were observed after only 1 week of the intervention and progressively increased until the seventh week, after which further improvements were not statistically significant. Conclusion: The findings of this cohort study indicate that a multimodal intervention that incorporates lifestyle and positive psychology practices may benefit individuals living with an affective disorder. Non-pharmacological, multimodal interventions might offer a stigma-free way of providing MH promotion and treatment at a population level