Exploring academic perspectives on lifestyles of health and sustainability

Abstract

The Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) paradigm is increasingly cited as a bridge between personal well-being, environmental sustainability, and ethical consumption. To chart its scholarly evolution, we conducted a bibliometric analysis in accordance with PRISMA, covering 743 Web of Science articles published from 1993 to 2024. VOSviewer network maps of keyword co-occurrences, co-citations, and country collaborations revealed five dominant research clusters: (1) sustainability and consumer behavior, (2) physical activity and chronic disease prevention, (3) lifestyle, mental health, and well-being, (4) measurement and intervention design, and (5) environment, public policy, and social sustainability. Annual output has climbed from one paper in 1993 to 110 papers in 2024, and centrality analyses place ‘sustainability,’ ‘health,’ and ‘physical activity’ at the core of the field. Although recent studies increasingly probe psychological mechanisms—such as behavior change, social support, and mindfulness—these remain less developed than environmental or consumption themes. We conclude that LOHAS scholarship now sits at an interdisciplinary inflection point and recommend deeper engagement with Behavioral Theory, broader international collaboration, and rigorous mixed-method designs that track the dual benefits of human health and planetary sustainability.