Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 2025/12, 125(12):A669. doi: 10.1515/jom-2025-2000, type of study: ,css,

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Keywords:

cross sectional study [894]
curriculum [301]
knowledge [67]
medical students [693]
nutrition [40]
osteopathic medicine [2108]
USA [1751]

Abstract:

Context: Nutrition in medical curriculum is lacking across the entire United States in both MD and DO programs. On average, medical students have 19.6 hours of nutrition-related courses in their medical school curriculum (Adams, 2010). 80% of nutrition knowledge was gathered outside of the medical curriculum. There remains a need to better educate physicians regarding nutrition and its benefits for patients. Our research focuses on student opinions on their nutrition knowledge and whether students can assess proper nutrition recommendations to give to patients. Objective: The objective of this survey research was to determine the opinions and knowledge of medical students at a southeastern osteopathic medical school regarding nutrition. Using this research, the goal is to help improve the curriculum at this medical college regarding nutrition and to educate other medical schools on areas that they could add to their curriculum. Methods: Pre-clinical students at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine were administered an anonymous survey regarding nutrition knowledge and opinions. Specifically, students answered questions regarding ingredients that patients should limit, the type of diet they would recommend to patients, how important they thought nutrition was and how well prepared they felt to discuss nutrition with their patients. Results were calculated using standard percentages based off the number of students who responded in each given category. Results: Students responded overwhelmingly positive that nutrition was important to educate patients on. However, approximately two thirds of students felt that their current education was inadequate to properly inform patients regarding nutrition and half of students said they would educate themselves outside of their medical education regarding nutrition. 88% of students stated they would recommend a Mediterranean diet to patients and 70% of students stated that high fructose corn syrup should be limited. Interestingly, only 10%-19% of students said they would recommend a vegan or vegetarian diet and 57% would recommend limiting trans fats. Conclusion: Medical schools have limited coursework regarding nutrition. Medical students at an osteopathic medical school stated they would like more education regarding nutrition to properly advise their patients. Students showed mixed knowledge on proper nutritional advice for students, something that can be improved with additional curriculum added regarding these factors. Future research should analyze physician and clinical student knowledge regarding nutrition and focus on factors to improve physician knowledge and advice surrounding nutrition for their patients.