Report: More medical training in nutrition, exercise needed

To meet the obesity epidemic, medical students and physicians need better training about nutrition and physical activity, according to a report released by the Bipartisan Policy Center.
 

Poor nutrition and a lack of physical activity are linked to the high rates of obesity and related chronic diseases. However, physicians often don’t counsel patients about those subjects due to inadequate training, the report said.

Fewer than 30% of medical schools are meeting the 25–30 hours of nutrition education recommended by the National Academy of Sciences, according to the report. As a result, less than a quarter of physicians said they received adequate training in counseling patients on diet or physical activity. 

To improve nutrition and physical activity training among healthcare professionals, the report made several recommendations, including the following:

·         Develop and implement a standard nutrition and physical activity curriculum.

·         Include more nutrition and physical activity content in licensing and certification exams.

·         Increase nutrition and physical activity requirements for residency and continuing education programs.

·         Expand board-accredited advanced training programs to create a cadre of experts in nutrition and physical activity who can teach health professionals.

·         Provide federal and state support for reforms in medical education and healthcare delivery that can help providers better meet patient needs with respect to nutrition, physical activity, and other lifestyle factors.

·         Recognize and reward innovation to drive continued funding and administrative support for reform efforts that are already underway.

·         Provide reimbursement for health services that target lifestyle factors such as nutrition and exercise.