Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs), including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are major global health concerns, with millions affected and COPD a leading cause of death. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, inactivity, poor diet, stress, and inadequate sleep play critical roles in disease onset and progression. Combined lifestyle interventions (CLIs) targeting multiple factors, such as diet, physical activity, and smoking cessation, show promise in improving quality of life (QoL), respiratory symptoms, and outcomes like BMI and exercise capacity. While pulmonary rehabilitation programs often include CLIs, they typically focus on exercise, overlooking other lifestyle factors.

This systematic review highlights evidence supporting CLIs in managing COPD and asthma, though most target secondary and tertiary prevention rather than disease onset. CLIs effectively improve QoL and physiological outcomes, but their impact on sustained behavioral change remains unclear. The review calls for high-quality studies to assess long-term effects and CLIs targeting high-risk populations to prevent asthma and COPD. Incorporating overlooked factors such as alcohol use, stress management, and sleep into CLIs could provide a more comprehensive approach to improving outcomes for patients with CRD.

Reference: Born CDC, Bhadra R, D’Souza G. Combined Lifestyle Interventions in the Prevention and Management of Asthma and COPD: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2024 May 17;16(10):1515. doi: 10.3390/nu16101515. PMID: 38794757; PMCID: PMC11124109.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38794757/