Abstract

Throughout the world, medical students and doctors report inadequate nutrition education and subsequently lack of knowledge, attitude, and skills to include nutrition in patient care. This study described New Zealand’s students’ attitudes to and self-perceived skills in providing nutrition care in practice as well as perceived quantity and quality of nutrition education received in training. 183 medical students from New Zealand’s largest medical school (response rate 52%) completed a 65-item questionnaire, partially validated, using 5-point Likert scales. Students believed incorporating nutrition care into practice is important, yet they were less confident patients improve nutrition behaviours after receiving this care. Students were confident in skills related to nutrition in health and disease but less confident in skills related to general food knowledge. Greater quantity and quality of nutrition education received was associated with greater self-perceived skills in providing nutrition care to patients but not with attitudes towards incorporating nutrition care into practice. This cohort of New Zealand medical students places similarly high importance on nutrition care as students and doctors from other countries. Further investigations beyond graduation are required to inform whether additional nutrition education is warranted for these doctors.

Highlights

  • IntroductionThe role of nutrition in the prevention and management of chronic disease is well recognised [2, 3]

  • The incidence of chronic disease in New Zealand is growing [1]

  • This study described New Zealand medical students’ (i) attitudes towards incorporating nutrition care into practice, (ii) self-perceived skills in providing nutrition care, and (iii) perceived quantity and quality of nutrition education received during medical training

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Summary

Introduction

The role of nutrition in the prevention and management of chronic disease is well recognised [2, 3]. It is a priority target of the New Zealand Health Strategy to improve the dietary behaviour of individuals [1]. Primary health care has been identified as an ideal setting to provide nutrition care to patients with chronic disease [1, 4]. General practitioners have the potential to make a significant contribution to the prevention and management of chronic disease in New Zealand by providing nutrition care for three reasons.

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