Application of Lifestyle Medicine in the Care of Patients with Obesity: A Case Study at Somdech Phra Pinklao Hospital, Naval Medical Department
Main Article Content
Abstract
Obesity is a persistent public health problem with a continuously increasing trend, leading to a corresponding rise in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Traditional approaches to obesity treatment, which focus on pharmacological and surgical interventions for weight loss, often yield short-termresults and lack sustainability. Lifestyle Medicine (LM) therefore offers a holistic healthcare approach focused on modifying key health behaviors, including nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky behaviors, and fostering healthy social relationships.
This article presents the application of Lifestyle Medicine in the care of obese patients at Somdech PhraPinklao Hospital, Naval Medical Department. It details the operational guidelines of the multidisciplinary team, the provision of behavioral counseling, and continuous follow-up. The integration of Lifestyle Medicine was found to enable patients to achieve safe weight loss, increase satisfaction with self-care, and improve their quality of life, and can serve as a model for the development of preventive health services within the Royal Thai Navy.
Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Defining adult obesity. Updated 2021 Jun 7 [cited 2025 Aug 7]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult-obesity-facts/.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How overweight and obesity impacts your health. Healthy weight and growth. [Internet]. [cited 2025 Aug 7]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/food-activity/overweight-obesity-impacts-health.html.
World Health Organization. Obesity. [Internet]. [cited 2025 Aug 7]. Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/obesity#tab=tab_1.
Stegenga H, Haines A, Jones K, Wilding J, Guideline Development Group. Identification, assessment, and management of overweight and obesity: summary of updated NICE guidance. BMJ 2014;349:g6608.
World Health Organization. Obesity and overweight. [Internet]. [cited 2025 Aug 7]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight.
Health Systems Research Institute. The fifth Thai National Health Examination Survey (NHES V), 2014. Nonthaburi: Health Systems Research Institute; 2016.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Health risks of overweight and obesity. [Internet]. [cited 2025 Aug 7]. Available from: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/adult-overweight-obesity/health-risks.
World Obesity Federation. Economic impact of overweight and obesity set to reach 3.3% of global GDP by 2060. [Internet]. [cited 2025 Aug 7]. Available from: https://www.worldobesity.org/news/economic-cost-of-overweight-and-obesity-set-to-reach-3.3-of-global-gdp-by-2060.
Techatiwat. P Foundations of lifestyle medicine. [PowerPoint Presentation]. Nonthaburi: Department of Health; 2024.
Somdech PhraPinklao Hospital. EMR hospital software report. Bangkok: Somdech PhraPinklao Hospital; 2023. (in Thai).
Rippe JM, editor. Lifestyle medicine. 3rd ed. Boca Raton (FL): Taylor & Francis; 2019. p. 961-2.
World Health Organization. Noncommunicable diseases. [Internet]. [cited 2025 Aug 7]. Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/noncommunicable-diseases#tab=tab_1.
Leelarassamee A. Lifestyle medicine: LM. [Internet]. [cited 2025 Aug 7]. Available from: https://tmc.or.th/pdf/att-dn-236.pdf. (in Thai).
Egger G, Binns A, Rossner S. Lifestyle medicine: managing disease of lifestyle in the 21st century. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2011.
Prochaska JO, DiClemente CC. The transtheoretical approach: crossing traditional boundaries of therapy. Homewood, IL: Dow Jones Irwin; 1984.
Watakakosol R. Preparing for behavior change to promote health. Bangkok: Faculty of Psychology, Chulalongkorn University; 2022. (in Thai).
Foundation for Research and Development of Community Health Systems. Stages of change. [Internet]. [cited 2025 Aug 7]. Available from: https://web.facebook.com/thaichr/photos/a.1542861482635307/3089445841310189. (in Thai).
Rippe JM. Lifestyle medicine and GLP-1 therapy for obesity: time to get real. Am J Lifestyle Med 2025 May 30:15598276251336677.
Royal Thai Navy. The naval personnel are united in exercising continuously, following the policy of the Navy Commander who wants the personnel to maintain good health. [Internet]. [cited 2025 Aug 7]. Available from: https://www.navy.mi.th/bdrc7in0k2ju. (in Thai).