A new undergraduate nutrition curriculum has been designed by the Association for Nutrition (AfN) to enable future doctors to better understand and recognize the role nutrients play in overall health.
In 2018 the AfN was given responsibility for the undergraduate nutrition curriculum of medical students, prompting it to form the Inter-Professional Working Group for Medical Education which worked together to establish a new curriculum for trainee doctors.
Eight key nutrition topics are covered by the new syllabus: Nutrition and Hydration in Health and Disease; Nutrition Screening and Assessment; Effect of Nutrition Status on Illness; Malnutrition (Undernourishment); Malnutrition (Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome); Specific Dietary Requirements; Hydration and Nutrition in Health Promotion; and Illness Prevention.
In the BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health the association writes: “Given the current extraordinary prevalence of diet-related chronic diseases in the UK and the integral role nutrition plays in the treatment and rehabilitation of diseases, it is now imperative that nutrition fundamentals be embedded in core undergraduate training for medical doctors and be assessed in the new NLA in 2024.
It is now imperative that nutrition fundamentals be embedded in core undergraduate training for medical doctors
“Medical doctors do not need to become nutritionists or dietitians but should be equipped to confidently address malnutrition in all its forms. Doctors, who will see thousands of patients throughout their career, play a key role in helping to identify, treat and monitor nutrition-related conditions, as well as in delivering preventative medicine.
“Future doctors should therefore be skilled to discuss factors such as achieving healthy weight in an informed and sensitive manner, as well as having the knowledge to refer patients to further nutrition support when appropriate. There is a clear opportunity now for medical schools to distinguish themselves based on the integration of nutrition practice into holistic healthcare training to adequately prepare graduates with the knowledge and skills in nutrient care, with the ultimate goal of improving patient care.”
