Lifestyle Medicine as a Pathway to Longevity: The Impact of the Healthy Lifestyle Community Program (Cohort 2, Hlcp-2) on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in the Adult Rural German Population

Methods: A total of 172 adults (aged 18–75 years) were assigned to the intervention group (n=99) and the controlgroup (n=73). The intervention group participated in a 10- week healthy lifestyle community-based program(HLCP-2) that included empowering the individuals with scientific based knowledge on the four important pillars of health: nutritional health (high plant based), physical health (physical activity), mental health (stress management), and social health (community support and social interactions). The control group received no intervention. Blood samples were collected at baseline and at the end of the 10-week intervention period to measure biomarkers of oxidative stress, including, total antioxidant capacity (TAC); superoxide dismutase (SOD); catalase enzyme (CAT); glutathione (GSH), and lipid peroxidation (LPO).

Results: Our study shows significant improvements in the oxidative stress biomarkers among German adults, who participated in the healthy lifestyle community program (HLCP-2). Specifically, the intervention group exhibited significantly lower levels of lipid peroxidation (p < 0.01), along with higher levels of superoxide dismutase activity, elevated concentrations of glutathione (p < 0.01), and greater total antioxidant capacity (p < 0.05). These improvements were evident when comparing their baseline values to those after the 10-week program, as well as when comparing them to the control group. With respect to the catalase enzyme (CAT), there was a significant increase when comparing the intervention and control groups (p < 0.01). However, within the intervention group, the catalase enzyme (CAT) did not exhibit a statistically significant improvement from baseline to the 10-week (p < 0.089).

Conclusions: These findings suggest that the Healthy lifestyle community program-2 (HLCP-2) had a positive impact on improving oxidative stress and may be a promising tool for reducing the risk of chronic diseases and enhancing longevity. Our study highlights the importance of simple lifestyle choices in improving overall health, offering effective strategies to combat global health challenges in the form of NCDs and promoting healthy aging.