Teaching Doctors-in-Training About Nutrition: Where Are We Going in 2016?

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., and its public health and economic burdens are rising. There is substantial evidence that dietary factors significantly reduce ASCVD-related morbidity and mortality, and that Americans, including those with established ASCVD, adhere poorly to cardio-protective diet patterns. Despite this, there continues to be a large gap in nutrition education during medical school and post-graduate training, leaving physicians poorly prepared to counsel patients on diet, nutrition, and related behavior change. The result is a massive missed opportunity to improve cardiovascular disease prevention at the health system level. However, recent calls for change by stakeholder groups, and a surprising new experiential learning model, suggest this may be changing.