Author / Year / Study Location |
Sample |
Type of study |
Intervention |
Outcome 1 - Nutrition in medical schools |
Outcome 2 - Focus on the Student |
Outcome 3 - Relevant topics |
Adams, KM et al., 2010 (United States)2222. Adams K, Kohlmeier M, Zeisel S. Nutrition education in U.S. medical schools: latest update of a national survey. Acad Med. 2010;85(9):1537-42. |
109 medical schools |
Cross-sectional |
NA |
Mean hours of nutritional education: 19.6h. 27% (28/105) of medical schools provided a minimum of 25 hours. 30 schools have 12 hours or less of nutritional instruction |
NA |
NA |
Walsh CO et al., 2011 (United States)1515. Walsh C, Ziniel S, Delichatsios H, Ludwig D. Nutrition attitudes and knowledge in medical students after completion of an integrated nutrition curriculum compared to a dedicated nutrition curriculum: a quasi-experimental study. BMC Med Educ. 2011;11(1): 1-7. |
125 medical students |
Quasi Experi-mental |
Dedicated x integrated nutritional curriculum. Course dedicated to nutrition with 28h, with 14h a week, 45 min of class, 90 min of activity x Introduction to clinical nutrition with some classes and activities, with other subjects included in the study of organs and systems. |
NA |
Although students prefer the course dedicated to nutrition, the students acquired similar clinical nutrition skills with both methodologies |
Macro/Micronutrients, obesity, evaluation, nutritional counseling, among others. |
Afaghi, A et al., 2012 (Iran)4242. Afaghi A, Haj Agha Mohamadi A, Ziaee A, Sarchami R. Effect of an integrated case-based nutrition curriculum on medical education at Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Global Journal of Health Science. 2011;4(1):112-117. |
46 medical students |
Before and after |
Eight extra hours in a diet therapy workshop followed by case discussions from the fourth to the seventh year of the course. |
NA |
There was an increase in nutritional knowledge in the pre-test from 20 to 70% in the post-test. Gain knowledge after the course. |
Nutrition in chronic diseases and intake assessment and weight management |
Schlair, S et al., 2012 (United States)4141. Schlair S, Hanley K, Gillespie C, Disney L, Kalet A, Darby P, et al. How medical students’ behaviors and attitudes affect the impact of a brief curriculum on nutrition counseling. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2012;44(6):653-7. |
162 medical students |
Before and after |
2-week Nutrition Course |
NA |
Improvement in dietary counseling, confidence in guiding and evaluating the diet, attitude regarding nutritional therapy |
Chronic diseases; obesity, nutritional advice and dietary knowledge |
Orimo, H et al., 2013 (Japan)2626. Orimo H, Ueno T, Yoshida H, Sone H, Tnaka A, Itakura H. Nutrition education in japanese medical schools: a follow-up survey. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr . 2013;22(1):144-149 |
67 Medical Schools |
Cross-sectional |
NA |
37% offer courses dedicated to nutrition and clinical nutrition (isolated or integrated). 11h-duration and 5h substantial nutrition content |
NA |
NA |
Crowley, J et al., 2014 (N. Zeland)4343. Crowley J, Ball L, Leveritt MD, Arroll B, Han DY, Wall C. Impact of an undergraduate course on medical students’ self-perceived nutrition intake and self-efficacy to improve their health behaviours and counselling practices. J Prim Health Care. 2014 Jun 1;6(2):101-7. |
72 Medical students |
Before and after |
12-week course; 13 hours of nutritional content |
NA |
The students can reflect on their own nutritional behavior after taking a course that includes this content in the early stages of their undergraduate training |
NA |
Kris-Etherton, PM et al., 2014 (United States)1111. Kris-Etherton P, Akabas S, Bales C, Bistrian B, Braun L, Edwards M, et al. The need to advance nutrition education in the training of health care professionals and recommended research to evaluate implementation and effectiveness. Am J Clin Nutr . 2014;99(5):1153S-1166S. |
NA |
Systematic review |
NA |
NA |
NA |
Tables with subjects on nutrition to be included in the medical curriculum |
Kushner, RF et al., 2014 (United States)4747. Kushner R, Van Horn L, Rock C, Edwards M, Bales C, Kohlmeier M, et al. Nutrition education in medical school: a time of opportunity. Am J Clin Nutr . 2014;99(5):1167S-1173S. |
NA |
Systematic review |
NA |
NA |
NA |
Proposed subjects in nutrition to be taught in the first 4 years of the course |
Sodjinou, R et al., 2014 (Western Africa)2727. Sodjinou R, Bosu WK, Fanou N, Déart L, Kupka R, Tchibindat F et al. Nutrition training in medical and other health professional schools in West Africa: the need to improve current approaches and enhance training effectiveness. Golb Health Action. 2014;7:24827-35 |
11 Medical schools |
Cross-sectional |
NA |
56.9h of contact with nutrition in the course, with 67% dedicated to clinical nutrition. Integrated nutrition education in 46%. Traditional methodology was applied in all of them |
NA |
Table with subjects on nutrition to be included in the medical curriculum |
Frantz, D et al., 2016 (United States)4646. Frantz D, McClave S, Hurt R, Miller K, Martindale R. Cross-sectional study of U.S. interns’ perceptions of clinical nutrition education. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr . 2015;40(4):529-35. |
122 Medical students |
Cross-sectional |
NA |
NA |
29% of students think clinical nutrition is sufficient in the medical course. Contact with clinical nutrition of 2.8h weekly, on average. Four or more weeks are associated with greater confidence in the management of clinical nutrition. Difficulty in initiating clinical nutrition with pharmacological therapy |
NA |
Perlstein, R et al., 2016 (Australia)3535. Perlstein R, McCoombe S, Shaw C, Nowson C. Medical students’ perceptions regarding the importance of nutritional knowledge and their confidence in providing competent nutrition practice. Public Health. 2016;140:27-34. |
197 Medical students |
Cross-sectional |
NA |
NA |
99% consider nutritional knowledge important for medical practice. The degree of confidence ranged from 12 to 64% in the management of the nutritional aspects of specific clinical situations |
NA |
Baute, V et al., 2017 (United States)3434. Baute V, Carr A, Blackwell J, Carstensen E, Chhabra P, Porter, L et al. Incorporating formal nutrition education into a medical school curriculum: a student-initiated lecture series. The Am J Med . 2017;130(6):623-5. |
65 Medical students |
Cross-sectional |
5 lectures lasting 1 hour each |
NA |
85% are not confident about nutritional counseling and clinical nutrition. 86% want more theoretical and clinical training |
NA |
Cuerda C et al., 2017 (global)22. Cuerda C, Schneider S, Van Gossum A. Clinical nutrition education in medical schools: results of an Espen survey. Clin Nutr. 2017;36(4):915-6. |
56 Medical schools |
Cross-sectional |
NA |
More than 8 hours of clinical nutrition in 72.5% of courses. 66% of them consider the time dedicated to teaching nutrition to be inadequate |
NA |
Malnutrition / Nutritional status assessment / Nutritional needs / Energy expenditure / Enteral / parenteral nutrition / Micronutrients / Specific nutrition related to malnutrition / Need for monitoring against the feedback syndrome / Microbiota / Probiotics. Consider the 11 essential ESPEN topics |
Danek, RL et al., 2017 (United States)2828. Danek RL, Berlin KL, Waite GN, Geib RW. Perceptions of nutrition education in the current medical school curriculum. Fam Med. 2017;49(10):803-806 |
48 Medical students |
Prospective Cohort |
NA |
NA |
They consider nutrition poorly integrated into the medical course. They did not observe nutritional counseling for patients. They believe that there is a lack of control over the matter. They do not have instruments for nutritional guidance |
NA |
Mogre, V et al., 2018 (Ghana)1717. Mogre V, Stevens F, Aryee P, Amalba A, Scherpbier A. Why nutrition education is inadequate in the medical curriculum: a qualitative study of students’ perspectives on barriers and strategies. BMC Med Educ . 2018;18(1): 1-11. |
23 Medical students |
Qualitative exploratory |
NA |
NA |
Most students believe they have little basis for dietary guidance and the medical course offered little information about it. |
NA |
Cuerda, C et al., 2019 (Europe)2929. Cuerda C, Muscaritoli M, Donini LM, Schneider S, Vargas JA, Gossum AV et al. Nutrition education in medical schools (NEMS). An ESPEN position paper. Clin Nutr . 2019;38(3):969-974 |
NA |
Consensus |
NA |
NA |
NA |
Topics proposed for medical curriculum in all teaching cycles. |