How Much Do Doctors Know Nutrition?

Would you go to a dentist with rotting teeth? Or seek advice from a bankrupt financial planner? What about seeing a fat doctor? A new study published in the journal Obesity surveyed primary care physicians across the United States and found that overweight physicians were significantly less likely to advise their obese patients to lose weight. When doctors outweighed their obese patients, only 1 out of 10 initiated a weight loss conversation (compared to 9 out of 10 skinnier docs). Even when doctors do advise their patients on healthy eating, how much do they really know?

In my 2-minute video Do Doctors Make the Grade?, I present a study in which the nutrition knowledge of health professionals was put to the test. The results aren’t pretty, and medical education may be to blame. In my NutritionFacts.org video pick today, I show that most medical schools in the United States fail to provide even a bare minimum of nutrition training (see above).

Now if my fellow medical colleagues would just admit these shortcomings, that would be one thing, but studies show that doctors are overconfident in their knowledge and ability to counsel patients about healthy lifestyles. See my 2-minute video Doctors Know Less Than They Think About Nutrition. Unfortunately, this arrogance extends to the mainstream medical establishment.

Last year, a bill was introduced in California to mandate that physicians get continuing medical education in nutrition (see Nutrition Education Mandate Introduced for Doctors). Unbelievably, physician trade groups such as the California Medical Association came out in opposition to the bill, which would only require doctors to get a measly 7 hours of nutrition training anytime before 2017 (see Medical Associations Oppose Bill to Mandate Nutrition Training).

I document the saga using footage from the public hearings in California Medical Association Tries to Kill Nutrition Bill, ending with Nutrition Bill Doctored in the California Senate. The bill passed, but not before it was gutted.

In health,
Michael Greger, M.D.

Image credit: Gullig / Flickr

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Duane B.

5:58AM PDT on May 2, 2013

Thank you for sharing.

May 2
send a green star

Ro H.

2:25PM PDT on Apr 3, 2013

April 3
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John S.

4:09AM PDT on Apr 3, 2013

Blame the doctors. I'd rather them trained in what I am seeing them for and unless it's something that is related to nutrition I'm not really interested in their opinion. As for avocado's, very high in fat, but it's the good fat that actually lowers cholesterol. Why do I need a doctor to tell me that. Why would anyone see an overweight doctor?

Bmr R.

3:47AM PDT on Apr 3, 2013

Thanks

Lynn D.

6:05AM PST on Feb 28, 2013

My chiropractor is better at nutrition then even my diabetic doctor (but the diabetic doctor does have a traditionalist to help) -- but I have a heart doctor from Israel and he's great at nutrition! so maybe they're getting better then the old fashion doctors we used to have! thanks for information!

February 28
send a green star

Donna H.

5:51AM PDT on Sep 28, 2012

Thanks.

September 28
send a green star

Ana Marija R.

1:50AM PDT on Sep 28, 2012

Thank you for sharing!

Heidi H.

1:12AM PDT on Sep 28, 2012

I was very fortunate to have been prescribed a visit to a Dietician. It's been the best medical treatment I've ever received. I fully believe that more doctors should refer patients to dieticians for expert advice, which is also great for preventative treatment.

Abbe A.

11:35AM PDT on Sep 19, 2012

arrogance

September 19
send a green star

Glenn A.

12:03AM PDT on Mar 12, 2012

Its simple...University medical labs are pretty well paid for (subsidized) by the big pharmaceutical companies...it isn't really the doctors fault, directly, it is just that the BIGPHARMA wants to make sure they get thier money back, and more, so anything that will take money out of thier pockets is not taught, would be the same if Monsanto et al paid for the labs that taught agriculture...oh wait, they do. Most of the people posting here seem to have enough of thier own knowledge on how nutrition works towards health that they can make thier own decisions on it better than a Dr. can, or is willing to. Want a Dr that knows more about nutrition...fight big Pharmaceutical companies, and figure out different ways to pay for the Med Labs.