Survey of Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Nutrition in a Class of First Year Medical Students Prior to Exposure to a Nutrition Curriculum

Abstract

Attitudes towards and knowledge of nutrition were assessed in an incoming class of First Year Medical Students via an in class paper survey during the first week of school. 157 students (82% of the class) were present. All surveys were returned. There were 85 men (54%) and 72 women (46%). 52 (33%) had taken a prior nutrition course, 13% in high school, 15% in College and 3% at the graduate level. Taking a prior nutrition course correlated with feeling more confident in counseling an obese patient (r=0.22, p=0.006) but not with writing a diet prescription, attitude toward nutrition or actual knowledge as measured by 6 questions, covering vitamins, dietary intake recommendations and motivational interviewing. Mean #right was 2.81+/‐0.1.2. #right correlated with confidence in diet prescription (r=0.18, p=0.028) and belief in the importance of nutrition knowledge (r=0.187, p=0.023). 77% strongly agreed that nutrition knowledge is important for a physician and for therapy of medical diseases but 63% felt unprepared to write a diet prescription, and 42% felt unprepared to counsel an obese patient. We conclude: 1. Incoming First Year Medical Students recognize the importance of nutrition for their future as a physician in the treatment of disease. 2. Confidence in writing a diet prescription did reflect actual knowledge level. 3. Despite a third of the sample having taken a nutrition course previously, there was no correlation of previous course work with knowledge. 4.Lack of knowledge affected confidence in both counseling and writing a diet prescription and may translate to less utilization of nutrition resources during the clinical years. A nutrition thread addressing these issues is being designed and the students will be reassessed at the end of four years.