“Learn to live a healthier life” – a popular science workshop by Lifestyle4Health

Did you know that walking slowly but including several short intervals of brisk walking can affect the risk of premature death? Or have you heard about the Mediterranean diet is, and how you can include Scandinavian dietary habits in it? And sleep - what is really good sleep? These questions and more were discussed during lectures by Professor Carl Johan Sundberg and Professor Kerstin Brismar, both founders of the network, as well as senior lecturer and docent Susanna Jernelöv. In addition, cases such as "Kalle, a 27-year-old overweight man who is not concerned about his health” were discussed. Participants considered and discussed lifestyle habits that may lead to poorer health and those that may benefit the treatment or prevention of the most common non-communicable diseases. The participants even implemented what they learned with a short exercise break. 

Health markers were measured

An additional benefit was the opportunity for all participants to have their health markers measured, such as blood sugar, blood pressure, grip strength, and waist circumference. This was done using the help of medical students and some who had recently graduated. It was a fun initiative, and participants appreciated the opportunity to discuss their thoughts on aging and a healthy life. Erik Niklasson, who graduated in 2023 and works in the Department of Clinical Physiology at Karolinska Hospital, said after the event: "It was very nice to meet the participants in a relaxed environment without a specific diagnosis. This felt like I was contributing to preventive healthcare rather than treatment." The response from participants was very positive.

The event was the first of several upcoming gatherings aimed at explaining the most important research findings in lifestyle and prevention to the public in a simple way.

The Lifestyle4Health network looks forward to future workshops and thanks all participants. 

Marlene Rietz and Carla Geiger