Programma
What motivates lifestyle changes and how can we develop a support system?
Voeding Leeft develops and implements lifestyle programs for people with diabetes type 2, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, IBD and people recovering from cancer.
Lifestyle Program
These self-developed lifestyle programs focus not only on nutrition, but also on sleep, exercise, relaxation, social relationships and meaning. All Voeding Leeft programs are supervised and evaluated by medical professionals. Practical research is also conducted into the effects of lifestyle interventions. Voeding Leeft uses the results to train healthcare professionals in the field of lifestyle medicine.
We spoke with Barbara Kerstens, the director of Voeding Leeft. "Our healthcare system is still largely focused on curing people who are sick. Voeding Leeft focuses on prevention because that's how we can reduce the number of people needing care. In our programs, we see participants becoming more independent or needing less medication. This is great for them, but also for our society because it contributes to the sustainability and affordability of our healthcare system."
"Another important difference is the way we look at health. For us, health is not the absence of disease, but rather how people are able to deal with the limitations of their (chronic) condition. Moreover, in our programs we focus on finding something that motivates you to change your lifestyle and creating a plan that works for you. Because that's what really helps people."
"Slowly we are seeing more attention being paid to the importance of prevention. Three of our programs are now included in basic insurance plans. At the same time, a huge systemic change is still needed. There is also some resistance to overcome among medical professionals."
We reach approximately 7,000 people with our programs and involve 100-200 healthcare professionals
"To this end, we cooperate with almost all academic hospitals. In addition, we are also active at the European level. Our certified two-month training program has already been implemented in four countries; soon to become 12."
We see Voeding Leeft as a pioneer in the Dutch field of lifestyle medicine. They have really put the topic on the map and not only looked for solutions, but have also thought about sustainable ways to scale up as a social enterprise. Moreover, they share their knowledge, thereby raising awareness about healthy living and inspiring others. Noaber has helped Voeding Leeft broaden its approach to include themes such as social health and meaning. We are also supporting the development of a scalable digital intervention in collaboration with our investment company, Sweetch.
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