ACLM is the medical professional society providing quality education and certification to those dedicated to clinical and worksite practice of lifestyle medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable health care system.

Is lifestyle medicine a different scope of practice from conventional medicine?

No, lifestyle medicine is actually the foundation of conventional medicine.  Almost all clinical practice guidelines for the top chronic disease support lifestyle medicine as the first line of treatment.  We as an organization simply believe that we should put as much focus on lifestyle medicine as we do medications and procedures. 

More than a professional association, ACLM is a galvanizing force for change.

ACLM is comprised of members who are passionate about the urgent need to transform health and healthcare. Our organization addresses the need for quality education and certification of the clinical practice in lifestyle medicine.

The founders of ACLM, back in 2004, were ahead of their time.

What was seen previously as outside the scope of mainstream medicine is now widely viewed as the future of healthcare, as we shift from a fee-for-service to a value and outcome-based system of healthcare delivery.

ACLM has a rapidly expanding membership base across the United States and around the globe. The value of lifestyle medicine is becoming recognized by all aspects of medical practice, with ACLM members representing the broad diversity of the medical profession and related fields that comprise effective practice models. Members include primary care physicians, specialists, researchers, professors, students, public spokespersons, hospital administrators, nutritionists, health coaches, public health professionals, and many others.

As an independent medical professional association representing the diverse interests of all our members in the provision of lifestyle medicine education, practice support and advocacy, ACLM is not responsible to any religious, political or industry interest.

Official Standards

Lifestyle medicine is the use of evidence-based lifestyle therapeutic intervention—including a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, regular physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connection—as a primary modality, delivered by clinicians trained and certified in this specialty, to prevent, treat, and often reverse chronic disease.

ACLM vision statement:
A world wherein lifestyle medicine is the foundation of a transformed, sustainable system of health care.

ACLM mission statement:
Advancing evidenced-based lifestyle medicine as a value-based specialty that transforms, redefines and sustains health and health care by treating, reversing and preventing noncommunicable, chronic disease.

ACLM positioning statement:
The American College of Lifestyle Medicine is a galvanizing force for change. ACLM addresses the need for quality, evidence-based education and certification as well as advocates for its members in their individual practices and in their collective mission to nationally and globally promote lifestyle medicine as the first and optimal treatment option. ACLM members are united in their desire to eradicate the root causes of chronic disease.

Founded in 2004, the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is the medical professional society for physicians and other professionals dedicated to clinical and worksite practice of lifestyle medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable health care system. Practice involves the use of evidence-based therapeutic approaches, such as eating a predominantly whole food, plant-based diet, getting regular physical activity, adequate sleep, managing stress, avoiding use of risky substances and pursuing other non-drug modalities, to treat, reverse, and prevent chronic disease. ACLM educates, equips, empowers and supports its members as they provide evidence-based Lifestyle Medicine as the first treatment option in clinical practice and worksite settings through live and online CME-accredited events and educational offerings, certification, clinical practice tools, patient education resources, economic research, networking opportunities and advocacy efforts. Today, ACLM has more than 3,000 members—and growing—across the world on every continent with 14 international lifestyle medicine organizations represented by ACLM’s Lifestyle Medicine Global Alliance. Lifestyle medicine is one of the fastest growing career fields of medicine globally and holds the promise for true health reform as it addresses the root-cause of chronic illness. Board certification is now available through ACLM’s certification partner, The American Board of Lifestyle Medicine.