Short course

Introduction to Lifestyle Medicine

Start date
29 January 2024 – 1 March 2024
Duration
Available online until 1st March 2024
Time commitment
30 hours
Mode
This is an online course with some synchronous sessions conducted via Zoom
Cost
Student or UoB staff £150. Non-student £200.
Subject
Behaviour change, exercise, diet, disease prevention, wellbeing
Level
Postgraduate Short-Course (CPD)
Assessment
Self-assessment quizzes

An online course introducing the principles of nutrition, the role of physical activity in relation to health, and brief interventions for smoking. 

Available over six weeks, this online course is aimed at doctors, nurses and allied health professionals and others interested in learning more about lifestyle medicine. It consists of a series of recorded lectures with online self-assessment materials and weekly live discussions with the course instructors. Recorded lectures introduce the principles of nutrition, dietary assessment and some of the evidence linking diet to health; and teaching materials also discuss the role of physical activity in relation to health. There is teaching on the role of sleep and management of insomnia; a lecture on brief interventions for smoking; as well as an introduction to motivational interviewing and to concepts of behaviour change. In addition there is teaching on the principles of behaviour change and on deprescribing. The course is delivered by experienced clinicians and researchers with interests in nutrition, sleep, promoting physical activity, smoking cessation, behaviour change and deprescribing.

What previous students say:

“The course was fantastic ” - RB (medical student)

“The aim for being evidence based was well met. This thread was consistently applied, and meant much higher quality discussions and critiques of topics. Already, the diet one in particular has influenced my thinking on consultations with patients” - JP (general practitioner)

“I really enjoyed the course. I thought there was a good selection of materials and I enjoyed the varied approach. Overall, it was a really good course and I would recommend it to others. It was excellent value as well.” - HI (university lecturer)

Programme team:

Dates of the course:

Available online from Monday 29th January - Friday 1st March 2024

Live Zoom Sessions:

  1. 17:00 Monday 29th January
  2. 17:00 Friday 2nd February
  3. 17:00 Monday 5th February
  4. 17:00 Friday 9th February
  5. 17:00 Monday 12th February
  6. 17:00 Friday 16th February

Place availability:

50 places

Course content:

  • Diet and diabetes prevention
  • Diet and cardiovascular disease prevention
  • Dietary assessment
  • Sleep and managing insomnia
  • Social prescribing
  • Wellbeing in chronic illness
  • Smoking cessation
  • Principles of behaviour change
  • Behaviour change in practice
  • Overtreatment

How to apply:

Apply here

To enquire about the course, please use our enquiry form. 

See how the University of Birmingham uses your data, view the Event attendee privacy notice. 

I really enjoyed the course. I thought there was a good selection of materials and I enjoyed the varied approach. Overall, it was a really good course and I would recommend it to others, it was excellent value as well.

HI, University Lecturer
This course is aimed at Clinicians (primary and secondary care; doctors; nurses & allied health professionals).

Course results:

Certificate of completion

Learning outcomes:

Nutrition

  • Identify the dietary recommendations that the UK population typically do not meet
  • To identify the most commonly used dietary assessment methods
  • To have an awareness of behavioural approaches to supporting individuals to achieve dietary change
  • To have an awareness of digital resources that can support individuals to achieve dietary change

Knowledge of basic principles of physical activity

  • Understand the evidence for the relationship between physical activity and health
  • Know how to develop an exercise prescription

Knowledge of the importance of social connectedness and some examples of community projects

  • Understand the evidence linking health to social connectedness
  • Understand assets-based community development
  • To know one example of a community project

Introduction to principles of brief interventions for behaviour change and practical motivational interviewing skills

  • To be aware of different theories of behaviour change
  • Understand the key principles of motivational interviewing
  • To practice motivational interviewing skills

Introduction to concepts of deprescribing (balancing potential risks and benefits of withdrawing medicines)

  • To be aware of deprescribing toolkits
  • To be aware of deprescribing networks (e.g. English Deprescribing Network)
  • To stimulate further study of the principles of lifestyle medicine

Culture and collections

Schools, institutes and departments

Services and facilities