The Jockey Club We WATCH Healthy Lifestyle Project International Conference on Healthy Lifestyle Championing Lifestyle Medicine to Promote Healthy Ageing in the Community
The Jockey Club We WATCH Healthy Lifestyle Project, funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, held its International Conference on Healthy Lifestyle at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) today (15 July), focused on the rapidly evolving field of Lifestyle Medicine. The project is co-organised by The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care of CUHK's Faculty of Medicine (CU Medicine), Christian Family Service Centre, St. James’ Settlement, United Christian Nethersole Community Health Service and Hong Kong Young Women’s Christian Association. The conference explored the positive role of Lifestyle Medicine in addressing global population ageing, and discussed the challenges and opportunities of its application in primary healthcare and community settings. The event attracted over 100 professionals from the medical and other social sectors.
As a public health initiative on Lifestyle Medicine – which uses evidence-based, therapeutic lifestyle interventions as a primary way to prevent, treat and manage chronic diseases - the Jockey Club We WATCH Healthy Lifestyle Project aims to support middle-aged individuals in adopting Lifestyle Medicine. Participants receive professional health coaching over six months, empowering them to adopt sustainable lifestyle changes in line with the “prevention is better than cure” principle.
Building a healthy community is one of the priority funding areas of the Jockey Club’s Charities Trust. The Jockey Club We WATCH Healthy Lifestyle Project is one of the projects funded by the Trust. It has equipped thousands of participants to proactively manage their health and reduce their risk of contracting chronic diseases.
Medical experts convene to explore emerging trends
The conference brought together local and international experts, who delivered keynote speeches and thematic presentations, and participated in panel discussions on the emerging trends in Lifestyle Medicine. The opening ceremony was officiated by Dr Pang Fei-chau, Commissioner for Primary Healthcare, Health Bureau; and Professor Philip Chiu Wai-yan, Dean of CU Medicine.
Professor Philip Chiu Wai-yan, Dean of CU Medicine, remarked: “We believe that the future of medicine lies not only in curing disease but in preventing it from taking hold in the first place. The Jockey Club We WATCH Healthy Lifestyle Project directly confronts the rising tide of chronic illness by empowering individuals to become active participants in their own health journey. The results we have seen are nothing short of remarkable. These are not just statistics; they represent lives changed, futures brightened and a powerful validation of our preventative approach.”
Dr Pang Fei-chau, Commissioner for Primary Healthcare, Health Bureau, stated: “Healthy lifestyle choices are powerful medicine. Empowerment, technology, coaching and robust community support are essential for Lifestyle Medicine to play a greater role. The Jockey Club We WATCH Healthy Lifestyle Project exemplifies this integrated approach and is an excellent project, generating vital evidence-based practices and giving new impetus for the development of a prevention-oriented healthcare system.”
International experts at the conference highlighted the importance of Lifestyle Medicine in tackling chronic diseases as populations age globally. Dr Rob Lawson, International Director of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine, noted its potential to significantly reduce the disease burden and limit projected economic losses of US$47 trillion by 2030; Ms Susan Tan, President of the Society of Behavioural Health, Singapore, advocated proactive, coaching-based healthcare to extend healthspans. In the local context, Professor Samuel Wong, Director of The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, CU Medicine, presented the findings of a large-scale local study confirming Lifestyle Medicine's effectiveness. A panel discussion examined the strategies, opportunities and challenges for integrating Lifestyle Medicine into Hong Kong’s primary care and community settings.
CU Medicine large-scale local study confirmed effectiveness of lifestyle medicine
Professor Samuel Wong presented the findings of a large-scale research project on the impact of Lifestyle Medicine in Hong Kong — marking a significant academic contribution to the field. “The Jockey Club We WATCH Healthy Lifestyle Project” was conducted from 2022 to 2025. During that period, 8,000 individuals aged 35 to 59 and at higher risk of developing chronic diseases were recruited. Baseline assessments revealed that nearly half of the participants were overweight or obese (48%), and 45% were centrally obese (waist circumference of greater than or equal to 90cm for males and 80cm for females).
Participants received six months of personalised health management coaching and a smart watch for monitoring lifestyle biometrics, while taking part in core activities focused on diet, physical activity, or stress management, delivered by collaborating NGOs.
Among those who completed the programme up to 23 May 2025,
- about half of the participants with pre-hypertension saw their blood pressure return to normal (SBP 55%, DBP 46%);
- over half (51%) of those with borderline or high blood lipids achieved normal lipid levels;
- nearly half (48%) of participants with prediabetes saw their fasting blood glucose return to normal;
- among the 1,983 participants who selected physical activity as their first priority for improvement, there was a significant increase in mean metabolic equivalent of task (MET) by 334 units (p < 0.001), along with a reduction in mean daily sedentary time of 59 minutes (p < 0.001).
