Background and objectives: Nutrition is a required part of family practice residency training. Unfortunately, little is known about the quality or effectiveness of this nutrition training. This study evaluated the current status of nutrition training in family practice residency training programs.
Methods: We surveyed 100 randomly selected US family practice residencies about their nutrition education curriculum. Surveys were sent by e-mail, mail, fax, or administered by phone to individuals identified as responsible for nutrition teaching. A response rate of 66% was obtained.
Results: Programs varied greatly in their emphasis on nutrition. Identified barriers were similar across most programs. The presence of at least a part-time faculty member dedicated to nutrition was correlated with perceived effectiveness of nutrition education efforts.
Conclusions: If family physicians are to be prepared to inform their patients regarding nutrition and to make appropriate referrals, improvements in the nutrition curriculum offered in many family practice residency programs will be required. Readers can evaluate their program's nutrition education efforts and see how they compare to our sample. Specific recommendations for potential changes are included.