Looking Back, Looking Forward: 20 Years of Lifestyle Medicine in Australasia
This year feels a little bit like standing on a mountain ridge – pausing for breath, taking in the view, and reflecting on how far we’ve come while glimpsing the promising path ahead.
In 2005, a small group of clinicians met at Southern Cross University in Lismore with a radical idea: what if we shifted healthcare from simply treating illness to preventing and reversing chronic disease? Among them were Dr Andrew Binns, Prof Garry Egger, and A/Prof John Stevens; leaders who recognised that addressing lifestyle and social determinants was essential for sustainable, effective healthcare.
At the same time, across the Tasman, New Zealand’s Prof Boyd Swinburn and Dr Alan Davies were reaching similar conclusions. Recognising the power of collaboration, the two groups joined forces. In 2015, the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine (ASLM) was formed, creating a unified, trans-Tasman movement committed to changing the way we approach health and wellbeing.
From those early conversations, ASLM has grown into a dynamic, interdisciplinary community of nearly 1,000 members, including GPs, allied health professionals, nurses, educators, and researchers. We’ve delivered thousands of hours of professional training, shaped policy conversations, published global guidelines for depression, and helped position Lifestyle Medicine as a core solution to the chronic disease crisis in Australasia.
One of our proudest achievements is the launch of our Accreditation in Lifestyle Medicine (AALM) – a locally contextualised professional development program for healthcare practitioners. It delivers over 80 hours of evidence-based content, endorsed for CPD, and equips professionals with the tools to embed Lifestyle Medicine into everyday clinical care.
As we mark 20 years of Lifestyle Medicine in Australasia and 10 years as ASLM, we’re not just celebrating the past; we’re planning for the future. Our 2025–2027 Strategic Plan outlines bold priorities:
- Growing our professional community
- Expanding medical education and training in Lifestyle Medicine
- Embedding preventive health into clinical systems
- Driving policy change for healthier societies
- Raising public awareness of the power of lifestyle interventions
Throughout 2025, we’ve been commemorating this journey with our Roadshow Symposium series: dynamic, community-driven events that highlight the real-world impact of Lifestyle Medicine in action. They’ve been about connection, celebration, and equipping clinicians with the latest tools and research.
And now, we invite you to join us for our final Roadshow Symposium in Sydney from 6-7 December. Themed “Lifestyle Medicine in Action: A Future Worth Creating”, this event will bring together leaders in the field to share practical insights on where Lifestyle Medicine is heading and how we can stay at the forefront of innovation in chronic disease prevention and health system reform.
When I think about the road ahead, I see patients whose lives will be transformed by lifestyle-based care. I think of clinicians finding renewed purpose. And I remember those early pioneers, daring to believe that we could do healthcare differently.
Together, we’ve built a movement. And together, we’ll keep walking this path, toward a future where all Australians and New Zealanders can live healthier, happier and longer lives.
Sydney Symposium: A Future Worth Creating
Be part of the closing chapter of the 2025 Lifestyle Medicine Roadshow. On 6-7 December 2025, join us for the Sydney Symposium at Southern Cross University’s Sydney Campus or online for a transformative day of evidence-based insights, practical strategies, and community connection. Celebrate with peers at the evening’s Networking & Celebration Event, and dive deeper the next morning with small-group Post-Symposium Workshops.
Early bird registrations are now open. Program coming soon.
Roni Beauchamp
GCertEd, GDipMgt, MPPM
Roni is ALSM’s Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining ASLM, Roni was the Director Operations, Heart Health with the National Heart Foundation of Australia, having worked in several roles with the Heart Foundation over the past eight years. Her professional interests include public policy, strategy, and leadership as well as a pursuit of better understanding of the human psyche and its impact on behaviour change for health reasons. Originally from the NSW snowy Mountains, and then the Victorian Alps she maintains a keen interest in improving health outcomes for people outside of the key metropolitan areas and of those who are disadvantaged in any way. Prior to moving to the Not-for-profit sector in 2013, Roni worked in a range of senior and executive roles in local and state government throughout Victoria. She holds a Master of Public Policy and Strategic Management.