Covid‐19 has led to virtual care (mainly telephone consultations) becoming a default worldwide, despite well‐documented shortcomings. Published evidence on virtual group consultations is limited, although interest and front‐line experience have grown substantially since pandemic onset. Unpublished data are summarised showing feasibility of transitioning care to this model across different countries, care settings and conditions. An international webinar series has supported development and sharing of best practice and representative data on spread and utilisation of virtual groups. This model of care creates time and space for more questions and answers, so once engaged patients become staunch advocates. Group care supports personalised care and lifestyle medicine, which is growing very rapidly. In the current context, even healthcare providers under pressure can implement virtual group consultations. Most virtual group consultations have a facilitator, so this allows roles to be extended and support education of both students and new team members. These can confer greater access, continuity of care, peer support and timely information about Covid‐19 and may result in better health outcomes. Given the rapid and widespread implementation of virtual care during this pandemic, data should be shared effectively and methodologically sound observational studies and clinical trials to test safety and effectiveness should be promoted now.

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The British Society of Lifestyle Medicine in the United Kingdom was first established in 2016 partly in response to the ‘sick man of Europe’ tag applied to our nations due to the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases. Today it is contributing to the growing momentum and growing realisation that a new approach is vital for our Nations’ health.

We welcome positive aspects of Nunan et al's article 1 and the opportunity to briefly discuss their analysis. However, likening lifestyle medicine to a Trojan horse implies deception and malice; and is both unworthy and unjustified.There are important positive messages conveyed, for example, articulating many of lifestyle medicine's key drivers (Box 1), plus individual and public health-level interventions (Box 2). 1 However, there are important fallacies too and we seek to correct these:

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