Published in 2024, this consensus statement addresses the growing concern that physicians receive very little formal training in nutrition, despite diet playing a major role in many chronic diseases. The authors reviewed existing literature and worked with a panel of physicians, nutrition scientists, dietitians, and residency program directors to identify the most important nutrition skills future doctors should learn. They ultimately recommended 36 core competencies for medical students and physician trainees, including understanding basic nutrition science, assessing a patient’s diet, recognizing nutrition-related disease risks, counseling patients about food choices, and addressing issues like food insecurity and metabolic syndrome. The paper emphasizes that most medical schools currently lack consistent nutrition education and that many physicians feel unprepared to advise patients about diet. The authors argue that integrating these competencies into medical curricula—and eventually into licensing and board examinations—could help close this gap and improve patient care.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2824217