Denon Institute Award for Excellence in Medical/Dental Nutrition Education Lecture, 2002. Will there be a tipping point in medical nutrition education?

The title of this presentation is derived from a national bestseller that defines the moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, "tips," and becomes widely disseminated. Three key tipping-point factors are discussed in the context of medical nutrition education. The Law of Few has to do with the essentiality of role models in directing educational curricula and clinical programs. The Stickiness Factor describes the quality and the content of the message that enable the information to have prolonged meaning. The Power of Context refers to the conditions and risk factors that are directly affected by diet and nutrition. Examples of these key factors are provided with a look to the future of medical nutrition education.