Docs know diet matters—so why is robust nutrition education missing from training?
Industry Buzz
It is a scandal that health professionals are not introduced to these facts above and beyond minimal information about nutritional deficiencies in biochemistry, and that these things do not appear on their examinations to become a practicing physician.
—David Eisenberg, MD
Using nutrition as medicine is probably one of the most cost-effective ways to treat disease but is incredibly underutilized by healthcare providers. If we could empower healthcare providers with information on how to implement this in daily practice, we could transform healthcare rapidly.
—Andrew Freeman, MD
It’s often said that medical schools don’t provide enough nutrition training.[]
According to Okon Johnson Esua, PhD, a professor at the University of Uyo in Nigeria, “No one really talks about how a patient’s food habits can become a diagnostic tool.”
Nutritional status is well established as a modifiable mental health risk factor.[]Poor nutrition and physical inactivity can increase the risk of chronic conditions like obesity, depression, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers—which can lead to disability and premature death.[]
Yet, 75% of medical schools in the US have no required clinical nutrition classes and just 14% of residency programs have a required nutrition curriculum. Even more troubling, recent data shows that just 14% of practicing clinicians feel comfortable discussing nutrition with patients.[]
"Patients often ask their physicians about nutrition but unfortunately, most physicians haven't had the training they need to meaningfully respond," Stephen Devries, MD, preventive cardiologist and adjust associate professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health told the American Medical Association.[]
Despite medical advances, healthcare professionals must tap into patients’ lifestyles to provide comprehensive care. Unfortunately, lifestyle too often remains an ambiguous and secondary aspect of mental health treatment.
Here’s how more robust lifestyle training—and referrals—can support docs in their practice.
Psychiatry
Psychiatry training covers the brain, but key lifestyle factors are often left out of the curriculum.
An article published in Academic Psychiatry says that some of the biggest challenges facing psychiatrists today are the aging population, youth mental health, and the opioid epidemic.[] However, over 67% of psychiatrists and psychologists report lacking specific nutrition training. Furthermore, just 6% of psychiatrists report considering nutritional status when prescribing medications.
Read Next: From guesswork to guidelines: Lifestyle therapy for depression goes mainstreamDiet is one lifestyle factor that’s tied to mental health but glossed over in training—but it’s not the only one. Physical exercise is a parallel example.
Mental health professionals may not require extensive training on everything that affects the brain. But awareness and appreciation for the impact of lifestyle can’t be overstated.
By “knowing what you don’t know,” mental health providers can be encouraged to refer patients to dietitians, physical trainers, and other resources to provide them with the full scope of care they require.
Rashi Aggarwal, MD, the chair of the American Psychiatric Association Council on Medical Education and Lifelong Learning, recently commented on the persistent shortage of psychiatrists: “There will never be enough of us, so we have to help educate and work with other disciplines.”[]
Given the widespread mental health needs in the US and abroad, it’s clear that a more holistic approach to medicine is warranted. Ultimately, lifestyle and mental health are deeply intertwined and integral to “treating the whole person” in every specialty.
Cardiology
A 2025 paper in The American Journal of Medicine suggests that despite the robust and compelling data linking diet to cardiometabolic disease, the current state of nutrition education in cardio training remains insufficient.[]
"Even with the best medications, preventives, and treatments for CVD, the ceiling of therapeutic benefit is limited without the application of nutrition and lifestyle interventions," the authors wrote.[]
Inadequate instruction during medical school, residency, and other additional training is a primary reason for a dearth of expertise in nutrition among healthcare professionals.[]
Related: 3 new cardiology updates changing patient care
"It is a scandal that health professionals are not introduced to these facts above and beyond minimal information about nutritional deficiencies in biochemistry, and that these things do not appear on their examinations to become a practicing physician," David Eisenberg, MD, director of culinary nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told the American Heart Association.[]
Without stronger nutrition training, cardiologists may miss critical opportunities to address diet as a cornerstone of cardiovascular prevention and care.
The bottom line
Experts say nutrition remains one of medicine’s most powerful—and underused—treatment tools. Some argue that broader training and support for clinicians could help unlock its full potential in patient care.
"Using nutrition as medicine is probably one of the most cost-effective ways to treat disease but is incredibly underutilized by healthcare providers," Andrew Freeman, MD, cardiologist at National Jewish Health, said in a press release.[] "If we could empower healthcare providers with information on how to implement this in daily practice, we could transform healthcare rapidly, prevent healthcare cost explosions, and reduce morbidity and mortality."