Search

The importance of nutrition in the development of disease, and in the recovery from illness, is among the most fundamental tenets in human biology and optimal health. Nutrition was fundamental in many traditional forms of medicine until its role in medical care experienced a rapid decline over the last century. We believe a key cause of the decline in nutrition's essential role in healthcare and preventative medicine is the escalating crisis of inadequate nutrition education in medical training. Recent data show 75% of United States medical schools have no required clinical nutrition classes and only 14% of residency programs have a required nutrition curriculum. More troubling, only 14% of current healthcare providers feel comfortable discussing nutrition with their patients. The purpose of this paper is to present the evidence illustrating the distinct lack of nutrition education in medical training. Further, we present key examples of existing formal nutrition curricula to incorporate nutritional science into all healthcare providers' education and practices. We discuss existing nutrition fellowships and training programs, including the new Duke Online Clinical Nutrition Fellowship. We also cover a physician nutrition certification allowing physicians to pursue clinical nutrition as a career path. Finally, recent financial incentives and quality measures incentivizing healthcare provider nutrition education is discussed. Thus, in conclusion, we advocate the inclusion of nutrition education curricula as a priority in medical schools, graduate medical education, and continuing medical education. Formal clinical nutrition training should be a requirement for hospital leadership and administrators for all Parenteral Nutrition and Nutrition Team Physician Directors in hospitals worldwide, and this key clinical role must become an essential position in all hospitals. In addition, we immediately need to address the critical shortage of physician nutrition specialists who will serve as the next generation of leaders in clinical nutrition care and research., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aimed to explore the preprofessional identity of undergraduate nutrition and dietetic students to guide curriculum development to better support the expectations of students and promote career readiness in a changing profession., Design: Qualitative focus group discussions in March, 2021., Setting: An Australian university., Participants: First-year students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nutrition (n = 50) or Bachelor of Dietetics (n = 58) at the University of the Sunshine Coast., Main Outcome Measures: Student sociodemographics, motivations for and influences on career choice and preprofessional identity, expectations of professional competency and practice, degree, and career expectations., Analysis: Descriptive statistics were conducted, and focus group discussions were analyzed using the Framework Approach., Results: Motivations and skills were consistent across both cohorts, centering on an interest in nutrition and respectful, professional conduct and communication. Expectations were similar across both degrees, with a focus on placement, real-world learning experiences, and staff support. Career expectations for both cohorts included business ownership., Conclusions and Implications: This research provided an understanding of students' preprofessional identity, which was similar for both nutrition and dietetics students. Motivations identified in this research can be used to inform activities across nutrition and dietetic programs that support career readiness., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Culinary medicine and culinary nutrition programs have emerged as innovative approaches to influencing dietary and lifestyle behavior change. These models vary in reported use of behavioral frameworks for planning purposes and attributing efficacy to current inconsistencies in format and delivery. This report aims to review current practice of behavior change theories in culinary medicine/culinary nutrition, delineate constructs that support positive outcomes, and describe future directions for translational applications in integrating the skills of chefs, nutrition educators, and medical professionals., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Assess the impact of a weight-inclusive podcast (WIP) intervention on body appreciation, intuitive eating (IE), anti-fat attitudes, and weight and health attitudes in university students enrolled in an upper-division nutrition course., Methods: Quasi-experimental design: Intervention participants listened to 8 weekly WIP episodes (n = 16); the comparison group listened to 8 weekly general nutrition podcasts (n = 29). Intuitive eating, body appreciation, anti-fat attitudes, and general weight and health attitudes were measured preintervention and postintervention., Results: Two-way, repeated measures analysis of variance revealed significant interaction effects of time × group, with participants in the WIP group experiencing significantly greater improvements in body appreciation (P = 0.03) and IE (P = 0.02) and greater reductions in anti-fat attitude scores (P = 0.006) than the comparison group., Conclusions and Implications: Podcasts may be a cost-effective tool to improve body appreciation and IE and reduce anti-fat attitudes in future nutrition professionals. Future research would benefit from recruiting prehealth professionals across different majors., (Copyright © 2024 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Residents are actively involved in patient assessment and all aspects of patient care, and they are critical in providing nutritional support education and treatment for patients with cancer. This study aims to assess the nutritional knowledge and performance of resident physicians, providing insights into existing gaps in awareness and practices related to cancer nutrition. A total of 300 resident physicians undergoing standardized residency training in China participated in this study. An anonymous online questionnaire covering demographic characteristics, nutritional knowledge, clinical practice, and training requirements was designed and administered through the "Wenjuanxing" platform. Data were collected from June 1, 2023, to July 31, 2023. Among the participants, only 40.00% demonstrated adequate knowledge of cancer nutrition, and merely 32.00% exhibited proficient performance in nutritional care. Socio-demographic analysis revealed that residents without affiliations and those specializing in obstetrics and gynecology had superior knowledge, while surgery specialists showed significantly worse performance. Most participants expressed a lack of exposure to cancer nutrition education during academic and standardized residency training. The study highlights the demand for enhanced education and the preference for case-based teaching methods. The findings underscore an urgent need for comprehensive oncology nutrition education within China's standardized residency training. Targeted interventions and curriculum enhancements are essential to improve medical talent development and enhance patient care outcomes in oncology. The study emphasizes the critical role of practical, case-based teaching methods in addressing identified gaps in nutritional knowledge and practices among resident physicians., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to American Association for Cancer Education.)

Objective: Examine the appeal of a virtual avatar-led nutrition education program among youth-serving community partners in North Carolina., Methods: We surveyed community partners using the Diffusion of Innovation Theory constructs of relative advantage, compatibility, and complexity. Logistic regression evaluated the appeal and likelihood of the program's future use., Results: Community partners (n = 100) agreed that the program was an innovative (87%) and convenient (85%) way for youth and parents to learn about nutrition. Partners who perceived the program as a relative advantage to current programs had significantly higher odds of future use intention (P = 0.005). Those who found it compatible with organizational and personal values had significantly higher odds of future use (P < 0.001)., Conclusions and Implications: A nutrition education virtual avatar program is of interest to youth-engaged community partners. Future research examining the potential integration of this type of program within community organizations is warranted., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Nutritional care has long been recognized as a vital component of nursing. However, nutrition instruction faces many challenges in nursing education, and few studies have investigated this topic., Aim: The study's aim was to investigate how nutrition education has been conducted in undergraduate nursing education., Method: A scoping review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) recommendations. The search was conducted in April 2023, with an updated search in February 2024. We searched in the following EBSCO databases: Academic Search Elite, CINAHL, Education Source and ERIC. We also searched in PubMed and Embase via Ovid and Scopus. A total of 3634 articles were identified from the initial search. Duplicates were removed and articles were then screened by title, abstract and full text by the research team to ensure eligibility. We identified 30 articles for retrieval. Nine articles were ultimately included., Results: The results were organized into five thematic groups: (a) learning through involving patients, (b) learning contextualized in clinical practice, (c) learning through an active teaching method on campus, (d) learning through interdisciplinary collaboration and (e) combining education on campus and learning in clinical placement., Conclusion: The findings from the scoping review emphasized that nutrition education activities should utilize active, experiential and social learning strategies. Moreover, findings suggest the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration when conducting nutrition education. Nursing education must give due attention to nutrition education, both on campus and in clinical placement, to adequately prepare students for nutritional care in professional practice. Nutrition instruction in nursing education could benefit from addressing nutritional care at both an individual and a systemic level, to support nursing students to cope with various challenges related to nutritional care in the patient setting., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The study sought to explore nutrition graduates' employability and role of employability capitals in supporting nutrition science graduate outcomes., Design: In-depth semi-structured, audio-recorded interviews were conducted with nutrition graduates who had completed a nutrition science degree between 2015 and 2021. Interpretivism guided this study, which endeavoured to co-construct meaning with participants. Transcribed interviews were thematically analysed, whereby data were coded, themes identified and discussed by all authors. The data were further mapped against the graduate capital model (GCM) by deductively coding against the five graduate capitals (human, identity, social, psychological and cultural)., Setting: Ireland and Australia., Participants: Forty-two nutrition graduates from across nine universities in Ireland and twenty-two from a single university programme in Australia., Results: All elements of the GCM were identified with human, social and identity capital most dominant and identified as significantly influential on employability. Presence or absence of these capitals could be clearly identified within each graduates' experience. Formation of professional identity and connection to the profession was strongest amongst Irish graduates. However, more than half of the Australian cohort perceived barriers to professional identity formation, including lack of regulation, imposter syndrome, presence of non-qualified individuals and comparison to dietetics. Both psychological and cultural capitals were rarely spoken about., Conclusion: The development of human, social and identity capital is observed among nutrition science graduates. Further investigation is required to enhance the process of identity development and ascertain potential remedies for obstacles. The absence of psychological and cultural capital, therefore, poses a significant issue for the resilience and comprehension of prospective graduates.

In Laos, rates of undernutrition, especially among children under 5 years of age, remain high. In response, a large multidisciplinary team embarked on a multi-year project in Laos beginning in 2019 with the purpose of institutional strengthening around public health nutrition research. This paper summarizes the Applied Nutrition Research Capacity Building project's activities, immediate project results, and prospects for sustaining impacts into the future. Eight primary activities were undertaken, including back-office strengthening, mentored research, and curriculum review and development. Requested training and skill development in areas related to public health nutrition, anthropometry, and research methods reached more than 1000 professionals. The first edition of a Lao-English Nutrition Glossary was produced, as was the country's first National Nutrition Research Agenda, a document which sets locally-identified priorities for future research. Project success was achieved by focusing on the priorities of project partners and the Lao government, as articulated in the Lao National Nutrition Strategy and Action Plan. Project design elements that could guide similar efforts undertaken elsewhere include multi-year engagement, an emphasis on sustained peer mentorship, and the use of an extended period of pre-planning in collaboration with project stakeholders prior to the start of activities., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Importance: In 2022, the US House of Representatives passed a bipartisan resolution (House of Representatives Resolution 1118 at the 117th Congress [2021-2022]) calling for meaningful nutrition education for medical trainees. This was prompted by increasing health care spending attributed to the growing prevalence of nutrition-related diseases and the substantial federal funding via Medicare that supports graduate medical education. In March 2023, medical education professional organizations agreed to identify nutrition competencies for medical education., Objective: To recommend nutrition competencies for inclusion in medical education to improve patient and population health., Evidence Review: The research team conducted a rapid literature review to identify existing nutrition-related competencies published between July 2013 and July 2023. Additional competencies were identified from learning objectives in selected nutrition, culinary medicine, and teaching kitchen curricula; dietetic core competencies; and research team-generated de novo competencies. An expert panel of 22 nutrition subject matter experts and 15 residency program directors participated in a modified Delphi process and completed 4 rounds of voting to reach consensus on recommended nutrition competencies, the level of medical education at which they should be included, and recommendations for monitoring implementation and evaluation of these competencies., Findings: A total of 15 articles met inclusion criteria for competency extraction and yielded 187 competencies. Through review of gray literature and other sources, researchers identified 167 additional competencies for a total of 354 competencies. These competencies were compiled and refined prior to voting. After 4 rounds of voting, 36 competencies were identified for recommendation: 30 at both undergraduate and graduate levels, 2 at the undergraduate level only, and 4 at the graduate level only. Competencies fell into the following nutrition-related themes: foundational nutrition knowledge, assessment and diagnosis, communication skills, public health, collaborative support and treatment for specific conditions, and indications for referral. A total of 36 panelists (97%) recommended nutrition competencies be assessed as part of licensing and board certification examinations., Conclusions and Relevance: These competencies represent a US-based effort to use a modified Delphi process to establish consensus on nutrition competencies for medical students and physician trainees. These competencies will require an iterative process of institutional prioritization, refinement, and inclusion in current and future educational curricula as well as licensure and certification examinations.

Background: Poor nutrition is a leading cause of preventable death, but is inconsistently taught in medical education and inadequately discussed in medical care. To overcome this problem, we developed a hybrid nutrition team-based learning/culinary medicine approach to integrate practical nutrition knowledge and basic cooking skills into the training of future health professionals., Methods: Nutrition was integrated into the systems-based courses at a college of osteopathic medicine, complemented by culinary medicine sessions based on the Health meets Food curriculum (HmF; culinarymedicine.org). Students participated in the program for one year and two cohorts of students were included in this analysis. Outcomes were measured via online food frequency questionnaire (FFQ, Vioscreen, Viocare, Inc) and surveys administered via Qualtrics online survey software. Diet quality was measured using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015. Data were analyzed using SAS 9.4., Results: One hundred and ninety-five first year students completed a baseline FFQ (97.5% response rate). Mean age of students was 26 years, 47% were female (n = 92/195). The average BMI of participants was 24.8 kg/m 2 (range 17-45.4) and the majority of participants reported being active. Seventy-five students (38%) completed an end of year FFQ. Diet quality was poor among students at baseline (n = 195; 67.59 (SD 10.54)) and improved slightly but significantly at the end of year 1 (n = 75, 69.63 (SD: 12.42), p = 0.04). The survey was administered to the second cohort only; 63 students responded (53% response rate). Talking to patients about nutrition was seen as more relevant to future practice among respondents than talking to patients about safe sex, weight, tobacco, alcohol, other substance abuse and domestic violence., Conclusions: This study evaluated the nutrition and culinary medicine curriculum at a new college of osteopathic medicine. Students rated the program highly and attendance was excellent, even though not required. Student diet quality did not decline over the first year of medical school. Students rated talking to patients about nutrition as highly relevant, providing encouragement that they will do so in future practice. We believe our work shows that nutrition can be integrated into the training of future physicians and that it may pay dividends, particularly with the increasing awareness of the importance of preventive care., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The incorporation of comprehensive nutrition education into medical education and training is essential for equipping physicians with the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance patient health and outcomes. However, a deficiency in nutrition education persists in medical education, rendering physicians ill-prepared to address the vital role of nutrition in health and disease. This article summarizes the key themes and recommendations generated during the Summit on Medical Education in Nutrition, hosted in March 2023 by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in collaboration with American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine and Association of American Medical Colleges., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

An interdisciplinary team-teaching session was introduced to high school students who participated in the Oakland University William Beaumont Future Physician Summer Enrichment Program. The rising prevalence of adolescent obesity necessitates innovative educational strategies that effectively engage high school students in understanding the complex physiologic mechanisms and nutrition concepts underlying its development. This submission presents a session that is designed to integrate the physiological concepts and nutrition that are associated with the development of obesity. Foundational information about the different food ingredients and physiology of the gastrointestinal organ system followed by concepts associated with the development of obesity and its complications were introduced. The session was delivered using combined educational approaches such as a dialogical-narrative approach and hands-on application activities by two discipline experts, physiology and nutrition. This innovative approach was well received, as evidenced by high satisfaction rates among participants. While direct measures of critical thinking and practical skills development were not captured, the positive feedback suggests that students appreciated the engaging, hands-on application of theoretical concepts. The sessions fostered an awareness of personal health responsibilities, with students actively participating and connecting learned material with practical scenarios. We believe that using combined educational approaches in interdisciplinary team-teaching sessions promotes inclusiveness and interactive engagement and enhances long-life learning. NEW & NOTEWORTHY An interdisciplinary team-teaching session was introduced to high school students who participated in the Oakland University William Beaumont Future Physician Summer Enrichment Program. The session aimed to integrate physiological concepts and nutrition that are associated with the development of obesity. The session was delivered using combined educational approaches including a dialogical-narrative approach and hands-on application activity that are guided by combined learning theories such as dialogism, narrative, theories of engagement, and multimedia active learning.

Background: Schools are an attractive platform for improving the dietary knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of children and their families, yet limited nutrition knowledge amongst educators can impede nutrition education efforts. Information and communication technology (ICT) can potentially overcome this barrier, yet there is limited evidence for its effectiveness in school settings in low- and middle-income countries., Methods: We implemented a randomized field experiment in 50 schools in the North Region of Cameroon to assess the effectiveness of a school-based nutrition education program at improving the nutrition knowledge of fifth and sixth grade students and their parents. We evaluate the relative effectiveness of video-based versus typical classroom instruction. Nutrition knowledge is assessed using a pre-post questionnaire and analyzed using analysis of covariance., Results: We find that students exposed to the video treatment improved their nutrition knowledge scores by 0.45 standard deviation more (equivalent to an additional 1.3 out of 14 correct answers) than students that received traditional classroom instruction. There is no differential impact of video on the nutrition knowledge scores of parents., Conclusion: Videos can improve knowledge gains compared with typical classroom instruction, but questions remain as to the conditions under which videos and other ICT are most effective as instructional tools., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

This review explores the diverse landscape of integrating nutrition and physical activity education into medical school curricula, focusing on the imperative role of physicians in promoting health through lifestyle changes. By examining global medical education structures, we uncovered disparities in nutrition and physical activity training, and highlighted the need for a shared framework to address international and regional challenges. Despite acknowledging the importance of both nutrition and physical activity, studies have consistently uncovered deficiencies in medical school curricula, especially in skills related to providing lifestyle advice and behavioral counseling. Survey studies among medical students have illuminated various perceptions and knowledge gaps, emphasizing the need for more comprehensive and mandatory nutrition and physical activity training. While acknowledging progress, challenges, such as time constraints, resource availability, and faculty expertise, persist. Integrating lifestyle education results in resistance, a demand for strategic communication, and faculty buy-ins. These findings underscore the importance of a holistic approach that balances theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and confidence that medical students need to promote effective nutrition and physical activity in healthcare.

Neurodegenerative diseases significantly impact individuals' nutritional status. Therefore, nutritional education plays a crucial role in enhancing the understanding of food and nutrition, preventing or minimizing malnutrition, promoting well-being, and empowering patients and caregivers. Educommunication is a methodology that utilizes communication as a pedagogical tool, with the potential to positively enhance the teaching-learning process. This study aims to identify and map educommunication strategies designed to educate caregivers and patients with neurodegenerative diseases about food and nutrition., Methods: This scoping review followed the JBI Institute Reviewer's Manual. The search was conducted between June 2022 and March 2023 in databases including PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science., Results: Out of 189 studies identified, 29 met the eligibility criteria, and only 3 were suitable for inclusion in this review., Conclusion: Studies using educommunication for food and nutrition education are scarce. Despite the limited number of studies included in this review, various educommunication strategies utilizing communication and information technologies were used. Educommunication strategies can facilitate knowledge acquisition in food and nutrition and change behaviors, resulting in health benefits for the participants. More studies on this subject are needed.

Introduction: There are many educational and health programs implemented on a smaller or larger scale in Poland. Many of them address the problem of overweight and obesity in different age groups. Each such activity is considered valuable and important, since the problem of excessive body fat is growing and, in addition, poses a health risk due to the development of other diseases, including diabetes and hypertension. The aim of the study was to test the effectiveness of nutrition education implemented over a 7-week period and to assess the nutritional status of 32 students aged 20-21 from Wroclaw., Material and Methods: The study group of students participated in a Human Nutrition course that included 30 hours of lectures and 30 hours of exercises. In the study group, the level of knowledge was assessed twice (before and after education) using a questionnaire with 13 closed questions, and body composition analysis was performed twice (before and after education) using an InBody270 analyser., Results: The study group showed a statistically significant increase in the number of correct answers on the nutrition knowledge questionnaire after the nutrition education (average 9.7 points vs. 11.4 points; p<0.05). No statistically significant differences were noted in the studied anthropometric parameters performed before and after nutrition education., Conclusions: The knowledge gained during nutrition education allowed the surveyed students to give more correct answers in the questionnaire after the Human Nutrition course. The nutritional status of the surveyed students did not change statistically significantly, but two students achieved a weight reduction of 1.5-2 kg during the study period.

Objectives: This study translated the short nutrition literacy scale for young adults (18-35 years) into Chinese, examined its reliability and validity, and analyzed its influencing factors., Methods: The scale was translated using a modified Brislin translation model. A convenience sample of 508 cases was selected for the survey. Content validity, structural validity, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and test-retest reliability were used to evaluate the scale's reliability and validity. To screen the factors influencing nutrition literacy in young people., Results: The Chinese version of the Item-Level Content Validity Index (I-CVI) was 0.833 ~ 1, and the Scale-Level Content Validity Index/Average (S-CVI/Ave) was 0.908. The cumulative variance contribution of the scale was 51.029%, and the model was generally well-fitted. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient and retest reliability of the scale were 0.826 and 0.818. The results showed that the level of education, mother's education, nutrition-related courses, and frequency of attention to nutritional health information were the factors influencing the nutritional literacy of young people., Conclusion: The Chinese version of the S-NutLit Scale can effectively assess the nutrients of young Chinese people. Low levels of education, low levels of education of mothers, lack of exposure to nutrition-related courses, and low frequency of attention to nutritional health information can lead to lower levels of nutritional literacy among young people., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: This study surveyed family medicine residents in North Carolina regarding the state of nutrition education in their residency training. In addition, the survey explored comfort levels with, and attitudes about, discussing nutrition with patients., Methods: We administered an online questionnaire to family medicine residents in North Carolina (n = 384) asking about their history of nutrition training and their current attitudes about nutrition. The 24-item survey included both Yes and No and Likert-scale responses., Results: All but one resident had received formal or informal nutrition training during their medical education. Residents overwhelmingly considered nutrition to be an important component of health care, although a majority felt physicians are inadequately trained in nutrition. Feeling comfortable discussing nutrition with patients regarding specific health conditions varied from 45% (gastrointestinal concerns) to 94% (cardiovascular disease) or 95% (diabetes) among residents., Limitations: The volunteer sampling method used in the study may limit generalizability of the study findings to a broader population of family medicine residents. In addition, precisely defining "formal" and "informal" nutrition training on the survey questionnaire would help to clarify the role of nutrition education in shaping resident attitudes and practices., Conclusion: This study shows that family medicine residents recognize the importance of nutrition education but do not feel adequately trained to provide it to patients. Given the abundance of evidence linking nutrition and health as well as an apparent interest among family medicine residents in nutrition education, this study supports the integration of nutrition training in medical education. Suggestions for how to accomplish this objective are provided., Competing Interests: Acknowledgments: The authors have no financial disclosures or funding source to declare and no conflicts of interest to report., (Copyright ©2024 by the North Carolina Institute of Medicine and The Duke Endowment. All rights reserved.)

Background: Undergraduate nutrition programmes prepare students and graduates for a wide range of employment opportunities. However, little is known about how employers perceive current nutrition education practices in Ireland and how well graduates are prepared for the realities of today's workforce. The present study aimed to explore employers' perspectives of nutrition placement students and graduates' competencies for the workforce., Methods: Interviews were conducted with 12 nutrition employers across Ireland and the UK who currently or have recently employed Irish nutrition graduates or supervised placement students. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed., Results: Three themes were identified including: "adapting to modern workforce needs", "professional competency expectations" and "valuing competency-based educational and professional systems". Employers reported an overall positive experience with Irish nutrition placement students and graduates. They are perceived as adaptable, willing to learn and professional. Many felt nutrition students and graduates had received quality education with knowledge, skills and attitudes meeting expectations of nutrition education being provided but felt that students and graduates often lacked confidence in their abilities. Employers remarked that graduates who had undergone placements were better prepared for the professional work environment. However, gaps were identified because employers felt nutrition curricula lack training on business skills and digital competencies., Conclusions: Employers had a positive experience with Irish nutrition graduates and students and felt they were competent for the workforce. Addressing the gaps identified by employers to adapt curricula to modern workforce needs would further enhance graduate employability., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Dietetic Association.)

Objective: To describe and analyze how Extension nutrition educators in one state system transitioned from primarily face-to-face to virtual nutrition education programming., Design: This exploratory case study gathered data through nutrition educator interviews, virtual program delivery guides, and nutrition educators' program impact statements., Setting: Southeastern State Extension system in late 2022., Participants: The sample included 15 participant interviews, multiple virtual program delivery guides, and 43 program impact summaries., Phenomenon of Interest: The use of Cultural Historical Activity Theory as a framework to explore educators' learning process with virtual program delivery and how this learning influenced community nutrition program delivery choices., Analysis: Qualitative data was analyzed with ATLAS.ti using a priori coding., Results: Two key findings emerged from the data: educators were more likely to deliver programs in a virtual setting when the programs aligned with their values and skills, and educators preferred flexible program curricula and delivery guides because it allowed them to address their community's specific needs., Conclusions and Implications: Educators plan to continue to deliver certain community nutrition programs virtually. Future research is needed to explore additional perspectives on virtual delivery, such as program participants and state program managers., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This paper describes the 30-year evolution of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) to provide evidence to support our perspective that SNAP-Ed has earned its position as a pillar of the public health infrastructure in the US. Legislatively designated as a nutrition education and obesity prevention program, its focus is the nearly 90 million Americans with limited income. This audience experiences ongoing health disparities and is disproportionately affected by public health crises. The SNAP-Ed program works to reduce nutrition-related health disparities at all levels of the Social-Ecological Model, follows a robust evaluation framework, and leverages strong partnerships between state-based practitioners, state agencies, and the US Department of Agriculture. The expansion of SNAP-Ed would enable the program to reach more Americans so that our nation can end hunger and reduce diet-related health disparities., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The burden of disease attributable to mental health is expected to rise in the coming decades. Poor nutritional status is considered a modifiable risk factor for general mental health. In fact, nutrition interventions are now accepted as a core strategy in mental healthcare to combat physical health inequalities and life-expectancy gap in people with certain psychiatric disorders. However, most psychiatrists are not familiar with evidence for the potential therapeutic benefits of diet in psychiatric illness, and this may be related to sparse nutrition education for physicians. Thus, there is a need to integrate nutritional management in psychiatric practice, but there is a gap in medical education that would support this practice. Here, we discuss evidence for and challenges in 1) assessing diet quality in psychiatric illness, 2) recommending improvements in diet quality and specific dietary patterns in psychiatric illness, and 3) recommending dietary supplements in psychiatric illness. This discussion serves as a call to develop nutrition curricula within psychiatry residency programs., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this article is to describe the impact of the research program entitled "Adherence to healthy eating recommendations: identification of measures, determinants and interventions". Beyond the main results described in this article, this program had a major impact on the training of graduate students. It was also a unique opportunity to develop and validate measurement tools relevant to nutrition research, and to make them available to the scientific community. Lastly, this program was a catalyst for establishing new collaborations and setting up larger-scale studies., Competing Interests: L'auteure ne déclare aucun conflit d'intérêt.

The poor diet quality in line with the rising prevalence of noncommunicable chronic diseases, coupled with the substantial deficit in nutritional education within medical training programs, has precipitated the emergence of Culinary Medicine as an evolving discipline. Culinary Medicine fuses the art of home cooking with the sciences of human nutrition, psychology, gastronomy, and medicine to promote health and well-being. This comprehensive narrative review explores the diverse facets of Culinary Medicine, elucidating its historical evolution, theoretical foundations, educational initiatives in Brazil and worldwide, and its practical implementation in clinical contexts. By integrating evidence-based nutrition knowledge with culinary skills, behavior change tools, and well-established principles of healthy dietary practices, Culinary Medicine arrives to empower individuals - physicians and patients - to make informed dietary choices and enhance their overall health outcomes. Moreover, this review contemplates the roles of physicians in providing dietary guidance within the Culinary Medicine paradigm and the challenges associated with incorporating Culinary Medicine as a complementary facet of conventional medical care and medical education., Competing Interests: Disclosure: no potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Background: A healthy diet is a critical factor in maintaining long-term health. In addition to a health-promoting food environment, the nutrition health literacy (NHL) and food literacy (FL) of the population are important in this context. This paper describes the development and validation of two short instruments to measure the nutrition literacy of the population, used in the Austrian Nutrition Literacy Survey 2021., Methods: An instrument to measure NHL (Nutrition Health Literacy Scale; NHLS) has been adapted and further developed. To measure FL, the Self-perceived Food Literacy Scale by Poelman et al. has been modified and shortened (SPFL-SF). Validation of the instruments was based on data from a web survey conducted in Austria in 2021 with almost 3,000 participants aged 18 years and older. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess the factorial validity/dimensionality of the instruments. Additionally, internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, ordinal alpha, and McDonald's omega., Results: Both instruments demonstrate excellent data-model fit. The NHLS also shows excellent internal consistency (α = 0.91), while the SPFL-SF displays a sufficient internal consistency for all (α between 0.70 and 0.89) but one sub-dimension (resisting temptation α = 0.61). Furthermore, the distribution of the items indicates that the measures are understandable and suitable, as evidenced by the absence of missing values in the sample. In addition, the items of both instruments differ in their level of difficulty or agreement., Conclusions: The NHLS and SPFL-SF are reliable and valid instruments for measuring NHL and FL in the general adult population. The brief instruments measuring the different aspects of nutrition literacy can be easily used in nutritional or evaluation studies. Further work is required to investigate other aspects of validity., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background and Purpose: Little is known about nutrition education in pharmacy programs. This study reports on the outcomes assessment of pharmacy students' knowledge, perceptions, and satisfaction in a clinical nutrition course., Educational Activity and Setting: A 2-credit required course in clinical nutrition and diet therapy provides third-year professional pharmacy students with knowledge on various diet and nutrition topics. These relate to nutrition concepts in health and disease, the prevention and treatment of diet- and nutrition-related health conditions, and enteral and parenteral nutrition., Findings: Between the academic years 2012 and 2021, 720 students were enrolled in the course. Direct assessment data were collected from 227 students, and indirect assessment data from 173 students. On average, 85.7% of students acquired the necessary knowledge on all 23 course learning objectives. Average course evaluation ratings by students on a 5-point Likert scale (strongly disagree = 1; disagree = 2; somewhat agree = 3; agree = 4; strongly agree = 5) were high (4.43). High ratings were also recorded for students' satisfaction with the course structure (4.46) and teaching effectiveness (4.39). Students appreciated the clear presentation of the course learning objectives, requirements, and teaching effectiveness. They also acknowledged the quality of the learning experience and the course's relevance to pharmacy., Discussion: Students highly rated the course in achieving its learning objectives in addition to their satisfaction with its content, structure, delivery, and relevance to pharmacy education and practice. Furthermore, the course content addressed the accreditation requirements for nutrition education and covered the topics listed in the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Pharmacotherapy Didactic Curriculum Toolkits., Summary: The clinical nutrition and diet therapy course was well received. Educating pharmacy students on diet and nutrition prepares graduates for expanding their role in these domains in the community, hospital and clinical practice settings., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

It is the position of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior that for effective recovery from and resilience to disasters, it is essential that impacted individuals and communities have access to safe, nutritious, and culturally and contextually appropriate foods and beverages, and receive emergency-related food and nutrition education before, during, and after a disaster. Despite the increasing number, duration, and intensity of disasters worldwide, there is relatively limited guidance for research, policy, and practice about addressing the emergency-related food and nutrition needs of affected populations. Although nutrition emergencies tend to be understudied, emerging efforts are working to advance food and nutrition security during disaster response and recovery. To help elevate the importance of emergency-related food and nutrition education before, during, and after a disaster, Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior, which represents the unique professional interests of nutrition educators worldwide, summarizes the relevant literature and puts forth recommendations for all those who are engaged in this work in the following 4 key areas: (1) improving communication and outreach, (2) fostering community engagement and locally-driven preparedness, (3) building the evidence base and translating the evidence into action, and (4) training current professionals and the next generation of public health leaders. Altogether, before, during, and after a disaster, those who engage in this work, among other allies, can help elevate the importance of nutrition education and other strategies to promote healthy eating behaviors through research, policy, and practice., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objectives: Nutrition counseling is necessary for the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases. US survey data demonstrate that 61% of Internal Medicine (IM) residents receive little to no nutrition training. The objective of our study was to develop a curriculum to increase IM resident comfort and ability in conducting a nutritional assessment., Methods: Categorical IM residents at a large academic medical center participated in a curriculum that included a lecture, a small-group discussion, and a skills exercise. Residents completed pre- and posttest surveys that evaluated their attitudes and comfort level with nutritional assessment., Results: Eighty percent (84/105) of the residents participated in the curriculum and 48% (40/84) of them completed both pre- and postsession surveys. Residents who considered themselves moderately to extremely comfortable completing a nutritional assessment increased after the program (27.5% to 87.5%, P < 0.0001). The proportion of those who agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, "Nutritional counseling should be included in any routine appointment, just like diagnosis and treatment," increased from 62.50% to 80.00% ( P = 0.012). The proportion of residents who considered lack of individual knowledge to be a barrier for nutrition counseling decreased from 65.79% to 42.11% ( P = 0.0126)., Conclusions: This curriculum was successful in increasing IM resident comfort with conducting a nutritional assessment.

This essay explores the convergences and singularities of popular education and Food and Nutrition Education based on biographical fragments of the undergraduate training program in Nutrition of three university professors who established their academic and professional trajectories at these crossroads of knowledge and actions mediated by popular education. Inspired by the autobiographical method, the narratives revealed that the initial indignations with social inequalities were mobilizing the routes in the formative path toward understanding hunger, suffering, and human care. To this end, seeking spaces and opportunities to learn about and experience social work in contexts of vulnerabilities was a decisive factor in their personal and professional constructions, revealing the contradictions of traditional training models and the starting point for the genesis of critical thinking. Thus, clues are offered to understand the interfaces of Popular Education (PE) and Food and Nutrition Education (FNE) in the converging actions around the fight against hunger and the right to food without, however, reducing one to the other when food and Nutrition are projected on the horizon of practices.

Background: Nutrition science graduates contribute to the nutrition workforce by bringing specialist knowledge and skills needed to address future food challenges. This study aims to provide a snapshot of the current employment landscape for nutrition science graduates in Australia and how well their degrees prepare them for employment., Method: A cross-sectional survey of Australian tertiary nutrition graduates was conducted to explore tertiary training, employment pathways and their perceived preparedness for practice., Results: This study included a final sample of 119 graduates from 17 Australian tertiary institutions. Almost two-thirds of respondents had completed further training. Most graduates (77%, n = 91) had worked in a food, nutrition science or health-related role after their degree; the most frequently cited employment settings were government or public health organisations; research, not-for-profit or nongovernment organisations; and the food industry. Work-integrated learning was identified as a key predictor of graduates working in a role that differed from their expectations as a student. The skill categories developed during nutrition training that were most valued in the workplace included nutrition and scientific knowledge, and professional and communication skills., Conclusions: This study offers first insights into the current employment landscape for nutrition graduates across Australia. Findings show that current nutrition science professionals are highly qualified and prepared to navigate the evolving demands of nutrition practice. Regular review of graduate employment will inform nutrition science curriculum to enable graduates to be well equipped in the face of dynamic practice settings., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Dietetic Association.)

Background: Adult education centers are an important part of health education worldwide. Our aim was to evaluate the courses offered by German adult education centers with regard to complementary medicine and nutrition., Methods: A systematic web-based search was done for the websites of German adult education centers and courses were analyzed considering topics, scientific soundness, and qualification of instructors., Results: Our search revealed 502 courses, 360 (71.7%) related to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and 176 courses on nutrition (35.1%). CAM courses most often presented methods with a focus on traditional Eastern medicine with yoga and similar mind-body practices (41.9%), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM; 13.3%), and ayurvedic medicine (11.4%). Content concerning nutrition mainly included controversial fasting methods like alkaline fasting, detox diets, and therapeutic fasting (43.8%), as well as Eastern traditional diets from TCM and ayurveda (21.7%). Most of the courses were given by non-medical practitioners (NMPs; 36.4%), while only very few physicians were engaged., Conclusion: There are substantial doubts on the scientific background of many courses offered for lay adult health education. Besides direct misinformation, many courses reinforce alternative and non-evidence-based notions in society. Adult education centers should reconsider the topics of their courses as well as the professional qualifications of the instructors., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Aims: The aims of this study were to: (1) explore perspectives of university students' and academics' regarding disordered eating, eating disorders and body image in relation to pedagogy and curricula and (2) to evaluate a co-designed student seminar and an academic workshop on these topics., Methods: A participatory action research approach was employed whereby an educational intervention was co-created by academics and students. An online seminar was presented to students and a 1-h workshop was presented to academic staff. Evaluation was conducted via a post-seminar anonymous survey for students and a pre- and post-anonymous workshop survey for academics with a mix of Likert-scale questions and open text boxes. Qualitative data were open coded, both deductively and inductively, and quantitative data were analysed descriptively., Results: One hundred and seventeen students attended the voluntary education seminar. Six themes were identified from student qualitative data which included feeling safe, empowered, inspired, connected, emotional and reflective. Problematic aspects of pedagogy and curricula were identified by students and included: using personal data for teaching, demonising language to describe food/bodies and not always feeling safe or supported to discuss disordered eating. Twenty academics shared divergent perspectives-some reported feeling concerned and challenged by the content (exploring disordered eating with students), others noted the complexity of the area, and others reported low/moderate confidence or indifference in the space and felt this content outside of their scope as educators., Conclusion: Curricula interventions that reduce triggering and shaming and increase space and support for strengthening students' relationships with food and their bodies are valued by nutrition and dietetics students. We encourage academics to consider pedagogical approaches and expand discourse in this space., (© 2024 The Authors. Nutrition & Dietetics published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Dietitians Australia.)

Background: The Eating and Food Literacy Behaviors Questionnaire (EFLBQ) is an instrument that has not been tested for its capacity to distinguish among individuals assumed to have higher and lower food literacy., Objective: The aim of this study was to examine and compare EFLBQ scores among university students with and without formal nutrition-related training., Design: This study had a cross-sectional design., Participants and Settings: Two hundred twenty-seven young adult university students enrolled in non-nutrition-related classes (n = 76), introductory nutrition classes (n = 98), and senior-level nutrition classes (n = 53) were recruited from a large university in the southeastern United States during the spring and fall semesters of 2022. The students ranged in age from 18 to 30 years., Main Outcome Measures: Mean EFLBQ total scores and factor scores of health and nutrition, taste, food preparation, planning and decision making, and convenience were compared among the three groups., Statistical Analyses: Linear regression backward method examined whether level of training, age, sex, race and ethnicity, and BMI were independent variables associated with total EFLBQ mean scores. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) compared normally distributed data and Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests compared non-normally distributed data., Results: Linear regression testing found that the level of nutrition training was significantly associated with total EFLBQ scores. Students in senior-level nutrition classes had higher total EFLBQ mean scores (M = 3.1 ± 0.2) than students in non-nutrition-related classes (M = 2.9 ± 0.3) (P = 0.002; 95% CI = 0.055, 0.280) and introductory nutrition classes (M = 2.9 ± 0.3) (P = 0.001; 95% CI = 0.275, 0.061). Total EFLBQ mean scores were not different among the students in non-nutritional-related classes and introductory nutrition classes (P = 1.000; 95% CI = -0.096, 0.096). Scores differed by training level for items measuring EFLBQ Factor 1: Health and Nutrition. Factor 1 mean scores were higher in students in senior-level classes (M = 3.1 ± 0.4) than for those in non-nutrition classes (M = 2.7 ± 0.5) (P < 0.001; 95% CI = 0.294, 0.670) and introductory nutrition classes (M = 2.8 ± 0.5) (P < 0.001; 95% CI = 0.228, 0.553). The other EFLBQ factor mean scores were not different among the three groups (all P-values > 0.12)., Conclusion: The EFLBQ demonstrated the capacity to distinguish food literacy scores between students expected to have higher as compared with lower food literacy., (Copyright © 2024 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Medical education faces an urgent need for evidence-based physician nutrition education. Since the publication of the 1985 National Academies report "Nutrition Education in the United States Medical Schools," little has changed. Although several key efforts sought to increase nutrition content in undergraduate medical education over the past 40 y, most medical schools still fail to include the recommended minimum of 25 h of nutrition training. Without foundational concepts of nutrition in undergraduate medical education, graduate medical education unsurprisingly falls short of meeting patient needs for nutritional guidance in clinical practice. Meanwhile, diet-sensitive chronic diseases continue to escalate, although largely preventable and treatable by nutritional therapies and dietary lifestyle changes. Fortunately, recent recognition and adoption of Food is Medicine programs across the country increasingly connect patients with healthy food resources and nutrition education as core to their medical care, and physicians must be equipped to lead these efforts alongside their dietitian colleagues. Filling the gap in nutrition training will require an innovative and interprofessional approach that pairs nutrition with personal wellness, interprofessional practice, and community service learning. The intersectional benefits of connecting these domains will help prepare future physicians to address the social, behavioral, and lifestyle determinants of health in a way that recognizes nourishing food access as a core part of clinical practice. There are numerous strategies to integrate nutrition into education pathways, including didactic and experiential learning. Culinary medicine, an evidence-based field combining the culinary arts with nutritional science and medicine, is 1 promising educational framework with a hands-on, interprofessional approach that emphasizes community engagement. Advancing the critical need for widespread adoption of nutrition education for physicians will require support and engagement across societal stakeholders, including co-leadership from registered dietitian nutritionists, health system and payor reform, and opportunities for clinical innovation that bring this essential field to frontline patient care., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The contents of this article represent the author’s views and do not constitute an official position of the National Institutes of Health or the United States Government. The author is an Editor of Advances in Nutrition and played no role in the Journal’s evaluation of the manuscript.