ADA responds to med school nutrition failings

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ADA responds to med school nutrition failings

 

By Stephen Daniells

 

 

 

 

 

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4/19/2006 - The American Dietetic Association has responsed to results from a

study, reported on NutraIngredients-USA.com, that many medical schools fail to

give adequate nutrition education to medical students.

 

“The physician is usually the health care provider a patient turns to first so a

basic understanding is crucial,” said Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, spokesperson

for the American Dietetic Association.

A survey, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol. 83,

pp. 941S-944S), revealed that almost 60 per cent of the medical schools surveyed

provided the minimum 25 hours that were recommended by the National Academy of

Sciences in 1985. Gerbstadt said that such recommendations for nutrition

education in medical school for was a reasonable goal. “Equally important is

the ability of the physician to recognize the registered dietitian as the food

and nutrition expert and to refer patients for personalized and science-based

information,” she stressed. The ADA is expected to release a statement soon,

which will reinforce a statement from 2004 stressing the importance of

consulting a registered dietitian. The 2004 statement read: “No other health

professional has the combination of education and science-based nutrition

expertise to work with [the public] in developing a personalized plan that is

right.” One of the big drawbacks, said Gerbstadt, was

that not all physicians immediately referred people to dietitians and that some

people need to be proactive and ask for a referral. The need for a physician's

referral is also key to qualify for insurance cover. “Nearly all diabetes and

most heart patients can see a registered dietitian under Medicare or insurance

coverage. Many other insurances cover other consultations. The American Dietetic

Association is working to get better coverage for other disease conditions,”

said Gerbstadt. Dr Daniel Fabricant, vice president of scientific affairs for

the industry association, the National Nutritional Foods Association told

NutraIngredients-USA.com that the NNFA hoped that studies such as the AJCN

survey would be the “impetus for major wholesale changes in medical education to

implement curriculum and instructors that provide the tools to best serve the

public with.” The article, published last week on NutraIngredients-USA.com,

also elicited other feedback from readers:

“Doctors, just like dietitians/nutritionists, and other health professionals

have an overwhelming task to keep current on all medical research and for that

reason, specialization is necessary,” said Mary DeBernardis, MS, RD, LN. “When

I worked for the AMA over 30 years ago, this was a topic of discussion even

then. At that time, the AMA was encouraging nutrition for pre-med students and

select colleges/med schools were offering courses in nutrition. I strongly feel

that all health professionals would benefit from taking nutrition courses, if

not just for their own personal gain, but also realizing the importance of

nutrition in preventative health. It is my sincere hope that more physicians

and other health professionals would work as a team with nutrition professionals

such as licensed nutritionists and RD's. While our local hospital has an

excellent team of dietitians who receive referrals from physicians, their

counseling is limited by certain insurance

reimbursable health conditions such as diabetes and heart surgery. How nice

it would be if a patient could go to their doctor's office, find out that their

problems could be helped by a qualified nutrition counselor, and have the doctor

set up an appointment with their own office nutrition specialist! We have

physician's assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses at most clinics/doctor's

offices-- but why not hire more dietitians! Think of the cost savings alone if

insurance companies would cover nutrition counseling to prevent obesity, type-2

diabetes - two of the 'epidemics' that are sweeping this country into health and

financial ruin,” she said. When the AMA was contacted by

NutraIngredients-USA.com they refused to comment since the study was published

in a non-AMA journal. “This does not present any new news to those of us with

nutrition degrees....how about the insurance companies recognizing and

reimbursing for nutritional care services as they do for physician

services!” said Michelle Kelly from New Hope Natural Media. “Thanks for your

article...it offers great explanation into physicians lack of nutrition

knowledge - however, please, please follow-up by reminding and informing people

that there is an entire profession devoted, trained, and expertly providing

nutritional care services to people!” said Kelly. “Thank you for reporting

this study,” said Clinical Research Coordinator, Debbie Hudak. “I completely

agree with this article and the fact that the majority of physicians and,

consequently the general public, lack the knowledge and understanding of the

importance in nutrition and diseases related to nutritional deficiencies.”

 

 

 

Re: The China Study soy doctor and nutrition TM

 

> That is pretty crazy for a doctor to eat that way then try to help

> people. that doctor should quit eating so much fast food

 

 

They don't know any more about nutrition than a regular person off the

street... very little gets covered in med school.

 

 

 

 

 

Gurubandhu

 

If you cannot see God in all,

You cannot see God at all.

 

Yogi Bhajan

 

 

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