Culinary medicine - a specialty with a future

In highly developed countries, the number of people suffering from various types of non-genetically determined cancers is steadily increasing. The lower age limit for the incidence of these diseases is also decreasing. According to WHO data, at least 50% of them could be avoided with conscious lifestyle changes. Another problem is also the steady increase in chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, which are due to lifestyle. Lack of physical activity, air pollution, stimulants and, above all, a high-calorie diet high in fats, sugars, preservatives with not enough vegetables and fruits are considered to be the main causes. The increase in popularity of fast-food due to convenience, the pace of life, unlimited access to poor-quality food make the risk of civilization diseases progress.

The urgent task of health systems in countries affected by this civilization epidemic is to reverse the trend. The need to convince societies to change their lifestyles, eating habits, proper physical activity and sleep hygiene, social relationships and give up stimulants. And in the face of increasingly sophisticated, high-tech and specialized medical procedures, at the same time there is a need to look at people holistically, especially when it comes to prevention. Therefore, in recent years, a new specialty - lifestyle medicine - has emerged and is steadily developing, which involves the use of conventional research-based medicine to create customized programs by doctors for the prevention and treatment of diseases of civilization and the reduction of exposure to risk factors for these diseases. The goal of the activities is to eliminate or at least reduce the risks of premature onset of chronic diseases, which can consequently lead to many limitations resulting from irreversible loss of health.

It has been known since the time of Hippocrates that a proper diet tailored to a person's needs plays a key role in maintaining health. Therefore, within lifestyle medicine, another specialty has recently been developing - culinary medicine. This still new field combines the scientific basis of dietetics, conventional medicine, psychology with knowledge of food products. Its overarching goal is to use food to preserve or regain health lost due to disease. The first work on culinary medicine was conducted at Harvard University, and the results were presented to medical professionals: doctors, nurses, nutritionists and physical therapists. In 2017, the American Dietetic Association issued an official document recommending that doctors be educated in nutritional interventions for prevention and treatment. Research conducted around the world clearly indicates that the biggest risk factor for developing diseases is poor diet.

It is increasingly recommended that medical faculties increase the number of didactic hours on the impact of nutrition on health. Culinary medicine is already present in the medical curriculum of some universities, but it is not yet a separate discipline that constitutes a separate subject. Typically, topics related to diet and nutrition are covered as part of other subjects, such as biochemistry, physiology, clinical dietetics, and clinical practice. In recent years, however, there has been increasing interest among doctors and patients in culinary medicine. Some medical schools are also developing special programs and courses dedicated to this field. In the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom, special courses and training for doctors in culinary medicine are being organized. In Poland, retraining workshops, conferences and symposia are also being held. The Department of Lifestyle Medicine, which is located within the structure of the CMKP School of Public Health, and the Institute of Food and Nutrition organize, within the scope of postgraduate education, classes for doctors and other representatives of the health care system, allowing them to acquire competence in the field of supporting treatment with food. Acquired skills allow working with patients in planning and implementing the most beneficial diet for their health, and facilitate, within the framework of a medical visit, education on the need for lifestyle changes.

Culinary medicine is the direction of the future. The science of planning and shaping one's health and taking responsibility for it using the tool of food. In a world living at high speed, modifying the habits of large segments of society is not an easy task, but a necessary one. Several tens of millions of deaths per year related to the epidemic of non-communicable diseases caused by poor nutrition forces the need for change. Culinary medicine should not be combined with mainstream seasonal diets, weight loss diets, low-energy diets, etc. for it cannot be standardized. Its task is to develop an entire nutrition plan for a specific person, after performing diagnostic tests and analyzing possible pharmacotherapy. It consists in composing a menu that will use the greatest nutritional benefits of food and limit harmful factors, learning how to store and preserve food, and encouraging self-preparation of dishes or skillful shopping. Here everything is based on sound, documented knowledge from many fields of medicine, psychology and clinical dietetics.