Medical Doctors- Training in Nutrition
Medical Doctors- Training in Nutrition
WASHINGTON , DC – Health and education officials on Thursday announced a national effort to strengthen nutrition education in medical schools, a step aimed at preparing future physicians to better address diet-related chronic disease.
The Trump Administration’s initiative, led by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, brings together leaders from 53 medical schools across 31 states that have pledged to expand nutrition training beginning in the 2026 academic year.
Under the new commitment, participating schools will provide at least 40 hours of nutrition education or an equivalent competency requirement for medical students. Federal officials say the move reflects growing concern about the role diet plays in conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
Kennedy said the initiative seeks to place nutrition at the center of preventive medicine. “Chronic disease is bankrupting our health system, and poor nutrition sits at the center of that crisis,” he said, noting that physicians need stronger training to guide patients on food and lifestyle choices.
Education Secretary McMahon called the agreement a meaningful step toward emphasizing prevention in healthcare education. Data cited by federal officials show that nutrition has traditionally received limited attention in medical training. To support the effort, HHS plans to launch a $5 million National Institutes of Health challenge to help schools develop nutrition-focused coursework, clinical training programs, and research initiatives.
Sources: HHS FACT SHEET
