While most medical programs require some kind of education in nutrition, only around one-fifth require a course explicitly dedicated to the subject, studies have found. The University of Arizona College of Medicine, for example, currently requires a course in digestion, metabolism and hormones, with some study of nutrition.
Research suggests that most medical students in the United States receive between 11 and 20 hours of nutrition education over the course of their medical education—about 1% of all lecture time, on average. In 1985, the U.S. Committee on Nutrition in Medical Education recommended a minimum of 25 hours be spent on nutrition education in medical school.
A 2014 survey of 248 primary care physicians found only around 14% felt adequately prepared to offer nutrition guidance to their patients. In 2022, U.S. House lawmakers passed a resolution calling for more nutrition-specific education in medical programs.
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