WASHINGTON, D.C. — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to require U.S. medical schools to offer nutrition education or risk losing federal funding from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
At an April event in North Carolina, Kennedy criticized medical schools for neglecting nutrition. “Students are taught how to treat illness with drugs, but not how to prevent it with food,” he said. He announced that HHS will consider withholding funding from schools that fail to include nutrition courses in their programs.
Nutrition Training Lacking in Medical Education
Though Kennedy did not share details, the proposal was welcomed by health experts who’ve long called for stronger nutrition training. A 2015 study found U.S. medical students receive an average of just 19 hours of required nutrition education during four years of school.
Dr. David Eisenberg of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health called the move “long overdue,” noting that patients often assume doctors have more nutrition knowledge than they actually do.
Some schools say they are already taking steps. Weill Cornell Medicine reports having an “extensive nutrition curriculum,” while the University of North Carolina cited its Department of Nutrition as a national leader.
The Association of American Medical Colleges declined to comment but said a recent survey found all responding schools teach some nutrition content.
Push for National Standards
Experts say the main issue is the lack of consistent standards. Dr. Jo Marie Reilly of USC’s Keck School of Medicine noted that “every school has their own approach.” Reilly and Eisenberg are part of a team that recently proposed 36 national “nutritional competencies” for medical students, published in JAMA Network Open.
“We’re moving in the right direction,” Reilly said, “but we still have a long way to go.”
Part of a Broader Trend
Kennedy’s plan reflects a broader strategy by the current administration to link federal funding to specific outcomes. Earlier this year, HHS and other agencies withdrew funding from Columbia University over its handling of harassment complaints.
Kennedy has long promoted better diets as a way to reduce chronic disease. His latest push could reshape how future doctors are trained in preventive care.
Related topics:
