At Consumers4Wellness.org, we believe that health and wellness begins with nutrition.

Research conducted by Kelly M. Adams, W. Scott Butsch, and Martin Kohlmeier titled The State of Nutrition Education at US Medical Schools found in the Journal of Biomedical Education ‘to assess the state of nutrition education at US medical schools and compare it with recommended instructional targets’ found that medical schools are only offering up to 25 hours in nutrition, which many fall short of that low amount. 

The Research states: “We surveyed all 133 US medical schools with a four-year curriculum about the extent and type of required nutrition education during the 2012/13 academic year. Results. Responses came from 121 institutions (91% response rate). Most US medical schools (86/121, 71%) fail to provide the recommended minimum 25 hours of nutrition education; 43 (36%) provide less than half that much. Nutrition instruction is still largely confined to preclinical courses, with an average of 14.3 hours occurring in this context. Less than half of all schools report teaching any nutrition in clinical practice; practice accounts for an average of only 4.7 hours overall. Seven of the 8 schools reporting at least 40 hours of nutrition instruction provided integrated courses together with clinical practice sessions. Conclusions. Many US medical schools still fail to prepare future physicians for everyday nutrition challenges in clinical practice. It cannot be a realistic expectation for physicians to effectively address obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hospital malnutrition, and many other conditions as long as they are not taught during medical school and residency training how to recognize and treat the nutritional root causes.”  https://www.aamc.org/system/files/c/2/449566-stateofnutrition.pdf

Prior to the Flexner Report of 1910, medical schools had a large focus on nutrition as a pillar of overall health. After the laws changed as a result of the Flexner Report, medical schools changed to an allopathic model & nutrition was removed or severely diminished. At that time, we did not have all the processed, sugary foods that today severely affects the health of our nation. We can change our current system of managing the symptoms of poor nutrition by making Nutrition a focus of our healthcare. That starts at the medical education level.

The start of all health begins with Nutrition.  Until we can change at the medical school level, we would like to see Doctors refer all of their patients to a specialized nutritionist so each person understands their nutritional needs for their optimal health.  Let’s make this a focus of our healthcare.  This letter will go to your Federal Legislators, and those who are on health committees if they are in your district.  A copy will also go to Theresa@Consumers4Wellness.org to be sent to medical schools across the country. 

Key facts of Nutrition, According to WHO (World Health Organization) 

• A healthy diet helps to protect against malnutrition in all its forms, as well as noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.

• Unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity are leading global risks to health.

• Healthy dietary practices start early in life – breastfeeding fosters healthy growth and improves cognitive development, and may have longer term health benefits such as reducing the risk of becoming overweight or obese and developing NCDs later in life.

• Energy intake (calories) should be in balance with energy expenditure. To avoid unhealthy weight gain, total fat should not exceed 30% of total energy intake (1, 2, 3). Intake of saturated fats should be less than 10% of total energy intake, and intake of trans-fats less than 1% of total energy intake, with a shift in fat consumption away from saturated fats and trans-fats to unsaturated fats (3), and towards the goal of eliminating industrially-produced trans-fats (4, 5, 6).

• Limiting intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake (2, 7) is part of a healthy diet. A further reduction to less than 5% of total energy intake is suggested for additional health benefits (7).

• Keeping salt intake to less than 5 g per day (equivalent to sodium intake of less than 2 g per day) helps to prevent hypertension, and reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke in the adult population (8).
• WHO Member States have agreed to reduce the global population’s intake of salt by 30% by 2025; they have also agreed to halt the rise in diabetes and obesity in adults and adolescents as well as in childhood overweight by 2025 (9, 10).

Source: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet