Importance of nutritional issues among family physicians

Physicians spend three or more years after medical school in residency training. Nutrition education in medical schools is often absent or inadequate, but residency offers an excellent opportunity for appropriate training. A mail survey of all graduates of a family medicine residency was used to ascertain their nutrition interests and practices, obtaining an 86% response rate (142 responses). Almost all of these physicians counseled patients about nutrition and made referrals for patients with nutritional problems. About 63%, primarily those in metropolitan areas, referred patients to registered dietitians in private practice. These physicians believed that most nutrition issues were important in medical practice, especially nutrition in diabetes management, weight control and cardiovascular disease. Life cycle nutrition issues as a group were ranked as being more important than chronic disease or prevention issues. Physicians who were women, younger (40 years of age), or non-white ranked nutritional issues as more important to the practice of medicine. Nutrition education of physicians during residency should be encouraged, especially as it pertains to chronic disease and prevention.